Come Back to Me
by AlienForceFan
Summary: Kevin leaves Earth to respond to a distress call supposedly made by his father and gets captured. Five years later, believing he's dead, Gwen finally starts moving on with her life with a new boyfriend. But then Kevin returns...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10 Alien Force and any of the characters.

A/N: Here's the first chapter of my new story, which can be read alone, but can also be a sort of sequel to my last fic 'Dinner Date'. This particular chapter takes place three years after the events on 'Dinner Date', and the story in general was inspired by Katy Perry's 'Thinking of You'. Hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter 1

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_Senior Year, Prom Night._

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"I hope you know, I'm only doing this because you want me to." Kevin muttered, as he adjusted the cuffs of his dress shirt and pulled on his suit jacket.

"Come on, you've never even been to prom before." Gwen replied, practically skipping. "It'll be fun."

"It's not even technically our prom." Kevin retorted, as the two of them got out of his car and walked towards the school gym, which according to the banner hanging above them, had been transformed into "Fairy Land" for the night. Kevin scowled.

"Stop being so negative." Gwen told him, as she smoothed out the flowing skirt of her light blue dress. "Do it for me. This is my last chance to actually attend prom." Prom in Gwen's prep school came a few weeks earlier than in Bellwood High. Unfortunately at the time, Gwen had contracted the flu, and had subsequently missed prom in the process.

Kevin sighed. "Anything for you, baby."

"Thank you." Gwen smiled, giving him a swift peck on the cheek.

They were actually going to Ben and Julie's prom. Julie, who was friends with the head of the prom committee, had gotten them tickets. Kevin, who had graduated the year before and had shunned prom on principle, only agreed to go because of Gwen.

"So how's Plumber training?" Gwen asked, making conversation. Kevin had been drafted for special training and proper orientation after graduation by the Plumbers. The past year for him had been spent teleporting to and from the nearest Plumber base to Earth, which in this case was a little way past Mars, hidden within the asteroid belt. Gwen rarely got to see him anymore, and was glad he had been given permission to come home tonight.

Kevin shrugged. "Ehh, it's pretty boring sometimes. I've seen more action than most of the new recruits, plus training there has more to do with learning the laws and customs of the alien races we're most likely gonna be meeting. They're teaching me to control my powers better though."

"Really? That's great! Like how?" Gwen wondered.

Kevin glanced around. "Well, you know how I used to, uh, channel some of Ben's aliens? You know, change into bits and pieces of them when I absorb their energy? The Plumbers are trying to get me to control that ability, so that I can actually change into any alien I touch. Once I master it, I won't need an Omnitrix like Ben, though I won't be able to hold a particular form for long, and I'll need to keep touching an alien to change into it." He shrugged again. "They think it'll come in handy whenever they need a spy to infiltrate some alien base or something."

Gwen frowned. "So they plan on using you as a well-camouflaged mole?"

"Kinda, I guess." Kevin muttered. "Apparently, my dad had that ability too. The Plumbers told me he worked as a spy for them when he was alive. Dunno where he got his power, though. From what I heard, he was human. Maybe I had alien grandparents like you."

Kevin looked sad. He rarely talked about his family, and Gwen was too polite to pry. She knew his mother lived with his stepfather somewhere in New York, and that they were still in contact with Kevin, but his real father… Kevin didn't like talking about him much.

Gwen squeezed his arm and gave him a small smile, which he returned.

"What about you? Princeton, huh?" Kevin said, looking at Gwen with pride. Gwen beamed at him.

"I'm taking up Astrophysics. It'll be interesting to study about what we've encountered in space."

"Sounds complicated." Kevin commented. "Sure you don't want to take the Kevin Levin route and skip college?"

"Ben's already doing that. He finally convinced my aunt and uncle that he was going to be wearing the Omnitrix forever, so there was no point in him pretending that he won't eventually become a fully-fledged Plumber."

"Yeah. He'll be joining me at training soon, just when I thought I could get away from Ben Tennyson, he shows up again." Kevin laughed, as Gwen nudged him playfully.

They were directly outside the gym now, where a big group of students were milling around, taking pictures and chatting. Finally, the people in front of them parted and the two were able to spot Ben and Julie, who were waiting for them at the entrance. Like Kevin, Ben was in a tux. Julie was wearing a pretty dress in rose pink.

"Prepare yourselves." Ben said in mock warning, as they handed their tickets to a committee member. "I heard the prom committee got a little carried away this year."

Ben wasn't joking. As they entered the gym, all four were sprinkled liberally with glittery "fairy dust" by girls dressed in floaty dresses with gossamer wings. Kevin grimaced as one of the girls tapped him with her wand and said, "Enter the magical realm of Fairy Land!"

He brushed off as much of the "fairy dust" as he could. "Augh… I think I accidentally absorbed some of the glitter!"

"Don't be silly, Kevin." Gwen giggled, as she reached up to brush off some of it from his hair.

"Wow." Ben said, as they got a good look at the gym. In keeping with the theme, the gym had been turned into a miniature forest, complete with papier-mâché trees and mossy boulders. The tables were decorated with paper lanterns, flowers and glittery butterfly cut-outs.

"Oh, it's so beautiful!" Gwen gushed.

"I know!" Julie gushed back. Kevin scowled.

"We'll get drinks." Ben told them, grabbing Kevin while making his way to the food tables.

Once they were out of earshot, Ben said to Kevin in undertone. "Dude, prom's important to Gwen. It's like every girl's fantasy. Try to enjoy it, at least, for her sake."

Kevin sighed. "I know. I'm doing my best. I think the mere fact that I'm here shows how much I care for your cousin."

Ben nodded, then laughed. "You should've seen your face when that girl hit you with fairy dust."

"Yeah, I wanted to ram her wand up her…"

"Kevin! You're here!" a shrill voice shouted behind them.

Kevin turned around and groaned inwardly. "Hi… uh… Joanie?"

"It's Jackie." The girl said happily. "I'm here with Clay." She pointed to a big guy standing a few feet away, guffawing loudly with his friends.

"Uh… ok." Kevin muttered, wanting to get away.

"I thought you said you didn't do prom?" Jackie pouted at him. "If I knew you would come, I would've asked you this year."

Kevin gave her a faint smile. Jackie, who had been a junior the year before, had practically stalked him trying to get him to ask her to prom. Needless to say, she failed miserably. She batted her eyelashes at him. "Who are you with?"

"My girlfriend." Kevin replied, watching in satisfaction as Jackie's face fell slightly, although she recovered quickly.

"Oooh… is she pretty? Where is she?" Jackie asked innocently.

As if on cue, Gwen and Julie walked over to them.

"There you are! We were wondering what was taking you so long." Gwen said, putting an arm around Kevin's waist and smiling sweetly at Jackie. She had seen Jackie from across the dance floor, and the girl's body language had warned Gwen that some hussy was flirting with her man.

"Hi!" Jackie greeted Gwen cheerfully, albeit with a slightly strained smile. "I'm Jackie, a friend of Kevin's."

Gwen smiled right back. "I'm Gwen, Kevin's girlfriend of three years."

"Three years?" Jackie breathed out incredulously. "That's a pretty long time… I never knew Kevin had a girlfriend."

"He's very secretive." Ben butted in from behind Kevin. "He's actually a borderline sociopath."

"Thanks, Tennyson." Kevin said sarcastically.

"Come on, Ben. Let's dance." Julie said to break the slightly awkward silence that followed. She tugged at Ben's arm and the two of them made their way to the dance floor.

"Oooh… Save me dance, Kevin." Jackie simpered.

"Sorry," Kevin told her, taking Gwen's hand. "I promised my girl I wouldn't leave her side tonight."

"See you." Gwen wiggled her fingers at Jackie as the girl's face fell.

They wended their way through the dance floor, found a spot, and started to sway to the music.

"Your friend Jackie, huh?" Gwen commented, giving Kevin a wry look. "She seemed nice."

"More like annoying. She wouldn't leave me alone my entire senior year. I think she memorized my schedule." Kevin said, putting both hands on Gwen's waist and pulling her closer.

Gwen smirked. "And you never told her you had a girlfriend."

Kevin shrugged. "She always did all the talking. I just nodded, pretending to be interested, all the while thinking of ways I could get away so that I could make-out with my hot girlfriend instead" He winked at her.

Gwen shook her head in amusement, then leaned in close and rested her head near Kevin's shoulder, her arms around his broad shoulders. A new song started.

_We watch the season pull up its own stage, and catch the last weekend of the last week…_

Gwen closed her eyes as she moved with Kevin to the music, their arms around each other, their bodies moving as one… Everything felt just right.

_You have stolen my heart…_

Kevin tightened his grip around Gwen and breathed in the scent of the magnolia perfume she always wore. He smiled as Gwen raised her head to look at him and kissed her lightly on the forehead. They slowly revolved around the spot, while tiny lights around the gym twinkled. Gwen wished the song would never end.

_You are the best one of the best ones…_

As the last lines of the song played, Kevin leaned down and gave Gwen a sweet kiss.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked, as they broke apart.

"This is the best prom ever." Gwen whispered, and stood on her toes to give Kevin another kiss. But before she could, something caught Gwen's eye.

"Kevin, your pocket's… blinking." Gwen said, confused.

Kevin looked down. "It's my badge." He looked confused as well.

Quickly, Kevin made his way under the bleachers, where there were thankfully no couples making out yet, Gwen behind him. He pulled out his Plumber's badge. It was blinking insistently. Kevin prodded it. A hologram of a blue-skinned alien suddenly popped up. It was speaking. However, the music around them was too loud for them to hear.

Checking to make sure no one was around, Gwen pulled Kevin deeper into the shadows and encased the two of them in a sound-proof manna bubble.

"Kevin Levin?" the alien inquired.

"Uh… yeah?" Kevin replied.

"I am Magister Hy'la'ar. I am responsible for Sector 68 in your galaxy. We have recently received intelligence on the possible whereabouts of your father, Ethan Levin."

Gwen's eyes widened. Kevin gripped the badge harder, his knuckles turning white. "My father's dead, Magister. Killed in action. That's what you people told my mother years ago."

Magister Hy'la'ar sighed. "His ship was indeed blown apart by an Antarrian Obliterator on his last mission. We believed him dead until we received a distress call from an uninhabited planet in my sector. The one who sent the call identified himself as your father."

Kevin looked livid. "WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE PLAYING AT?!" he yelled. "You go around telling families that people are dead without making sure?!" He was actually shaking in anger, the hologram becoming slightly blurred as he tried to keep his hand steady.

"All evidence pointed to that conclusion." Magister Hy'la'ar was unapologetic. "I contacted you today because it is Plumber policy to investigate all distress calls. Owing to the fact that this mission is of personal interest to you, and that you have already begun official Plumber training this past solar cycle, we are offering you the last slot in the small contingent we are sending out. Only if you want it, of course."

Kevin glared at the Magister. "When does this contingent leave?"

"Tonight."

"How long will this mission take?"

"Indefinitely. Travel to Sector 68 alone will take two of your Earth days at hyperspeed."

Gwen felt as though she were reeling. Tonight! Indefinitely?! She glanced at Kevin, who had a steely look in his eyes. He would go, she was sure of it. She knew how much Kevin had regretted the fact that he never really got to know his father, who left for a last Plumber's mission when he was three. Left and never came back.

Sure enough… "I'm in." Kevin said, without hesitating.

"We will await your arrival at these coordinates –" The Plumber's badge briefly switched to a grid map with a green pulsing light floating above a warehouse downtown, " – at midnight on the roof of this structure. Do not be late."

"I'll be there." Kevin confirmed determinedly. The badge went back to normal and Gwen retracted her manna.

"Kevin…" Gwen started.

"He's my father, Gwen. I have to know." Kevin whispered. Suddenly, he absorbed the metal bleacher and punched the concrete wall behind it, hard. "AAAAARGH!" he roared, letting out his fury.

Gwen looked at him fearfully. The last time she had seen him so consumed with anger was when he was a monster and still their enemy. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Kevin slumped against the wall.

"He could still be alive. I could actually meet him." He gave Gwen a long look. "You understand why I have to go, right?"

Gwen looked back at him sadly. "It could be dangerous. You're going much farther into space this time. We don't even know how long you'll be gone. At least when you were in training, you could schedule your returns to Earth." She sniffed. "What if… what if something happens?" Gwen's voice broke as she started crying.

"Hey, hey… shh…" Kevin said, putting an arm around Gwen and hugging her to his chest.

Gwen sniffled. "Midnight's only a few hours away." She looked up at him. "Could we... could we at least spend what time you have left together?"

Kevin gently brushed at Gwen's cheek with his hand. "Sure."

"There you are! I thought I saw some pink light coming from here."

Gwen and Kevin whipped around. Ben was standing just a few feet away with Julie, grinning.

"You guys better get out of there before the chaperones find you. There'll be plenty of time to make-out later." Ben suddenly noticed Gwen's teary eyes. "What's going on? Kevin, what did you do to my cousin?!"

Kevin glared at Ben. "I didn't do anything!"

"Then why's she crying? Did he hurt you?" Ben asked Gwen angrily. Gwen looked at him miserably and shook her head.

"Stop it, Ben!" Julie admonished. She turned to Gwen. "What happened?"

Gwen shook her head, unable to talk, so Kevin explained. About Magister Hy'la'ar, his father, the mission. Ben's face went from anger, to shock, to concern.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier, Kevin. I just wish I could help." Ben told him, his face drawn. Despite their differences, Kevin had actually become one of Ben's closest friends. He would be sad to see him go.

"S'okay. This is just something I have to do. For my dad." Kevin said quietly.

Ben nodded. Julie walked over to Kevin and gave his hand a quick squeeze. "You take care." She whispered. She then gave Gwen a hug. "You too."

"Oh, one more thing." Ben remembered, reaching into his pocket. He handed a circular object to Gwen, who took it without a word. "Just like you wanted." He then left with Julie, who said something about keeping the chaperones away from the bleachers.

"What's that?" Kevin asked, gesturing to the object in Gwen's hand.

Gwen showed him. It was a holo-disk. "I asked Ben to record us dancing, you know, so I could have a keepsake from prom." She pressed the button on the side, and a holographic image of the two of them dancing to _Stolen_ was projected from the center of the disk, complete with sound. Kevin looked at the image wistfully.

Gwen turned it off. "I want you to take it. To remember me when you go."

"I could never forget you, Gwen." Kevin murmured. He reached for the holo-disk and pocketed it. "But thanks."

Gwen was still looking depressed. "What kind of aliens are Antarrians?" she asked.

"They're not a race. They're a group – the most notorious group of intergalactic terrorists in the Milky Way. I heard they once held an entire planet hostage." Kevin replied. Gwen looked stricken at the information.

Kevin cleared his throat. "I actually have something for you too."

He reached into his other pocket and drew out a small box. "I picked it up from a friend before I came to get you." He handed the box to Gwen.

Gwen took the box and opened it. Inside was a necklace, with a fine silver chain and a pendant set with a greenish crystal that looked familiar. She picked it out of the box and held it in her hand, her eyes welling up with tears again.

Kevin gently took it from her and made to put it around her neck. Gwen gathered her hair to one side to make it easier for him. He hooked the clasp and stepped back to see how it looked.

He took a deep breath. "I was planning on giving it to you for your birthday next week, but… I might not be here for that. Good thing I had it with me now, though."

"… is this?" Gwen started.

"Yeah, that's the crystal I absorbed when I… uh… 'borrowed' the Rust Bucket 2 a few years ago. It's one of the rarest and most prized substances in the galaxy. I kept a piece when those aliens chipped it away from me. I planned on keeping it in case I ever needed something valuable to bargain with, but then I decided to give it to you instead. Had to find a guy I could trust with the skill to set into a necklace." He looked at Gwen. "Do you like it?"

Gwen nodded, now crying in earnest. "It's perfect. Thank you." She touched the crystal, and her eyes briefly flashed pink. "It's full of your manna."

"Yeah… I figured as much. It did come off my body, after all. I guess it's kinda like giving a bit of myself to you."

Gwen gave him a watery smile. "Like I said, it's perfect."

Kevin suddenly grew serious. He reached out and clutched both of Gwen's hands in his own. "Gwen… I love you."

This made Gwen cry even harder. Kevin wasn't exactly the most expressive guy in the world, so any time he said those three words was a memorable occasion. In the course of their three year relationship, Kevin had only said 'I love you' a grand total of three times. Once, after she'd inadvertently blurted out that she loved him on their first sorta date, second was after they'd made love for the first time, and the last time was when both of them thought they were going to die in a difficult battle with the Highbreed. Kevin never used those words lightly, and him saying that he loved her was more meaningful than any necklace.

Gwen threw her arms around him, practically sobbing. "I love you so much…"

Kevin's eyes were wet too, as he held Gwen to him tightly.

"I'll come back, Gwen. I promise."

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A/N: What do you guys think? R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10 Alien Force and any of the characters.

A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to update. I wanted to get some parts just right, and stories like this are harder (plot and emotions-wise) to write than fluff. Thanks also for those who reviewed! They really encouraged me to keep writing more. Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2

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_Five years later, Bellwood High, Last day of school._

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Gwen placed a couple of books lying on her desk inside her bag as students rushed out of the classroom. The bell had just rung, signaling the start of summer vacation, and everyone was eager to leave the stuffy confines of school.

"Bye, Ms. T!" yelled a couple of students as they passed by her desk. "Have a great summer!"

"You too!" Gwen called out to their departing backs, as she finished packing up her things and gave the now empty classroom a final, perfunctory sweep with her eyes. She had done it. She had survived her first school year at Bellwood High after taking a job as a teacher in Literature the year before.

Gwen smiled to herself as she slung her bag over her shoulder and proceeded to leave the classroom. Unfortunately, she had to be back in a week for summer school, a rite of passage for new teachers. Well, not really unfortunately. Gwen actually liked her job. It gave her an excuse to immerse herself in the written word 24/7, and was for her an ideal form of escapism. She was tired of the real world and its problems. Not that her life was particularly problematic at the moment. In fact, one might say that it was practically boring. She was 23, had a job, a loving family, and a good relationship with a nice man. Not exactly the stuff of soap operas. No, what she needed to escape from was herself, or more precisely, her memories – of the past and thoughts of what-could-have-beens.

The hallways were packed with students at their lockers, making plans for the summer and joking around. The noise level was unbelievable. Gwen dodged past a group of boys who were throwing a football around, went around a couple making out in the middle of the hallway, and finally made it to the school entrance in one piece after avoiding other obstacles in the form of adolescent traffic. She breathed a sigh of relief. Finally!

Cutting across the football field, Gwen made her way to the parking lot where her white, 90's era Nissan Sentra was waiting for her. She furrowed her brow. There was someone, a man, leaning against her car. She rounded the corner and finally recognized the brown-haired head of her boyfriend, Eric. His own car, a beat-up Land Rover, was parked right beside hers. What was he doing here?

Eric had spotted her. He grinned, shoved his hands in his pockets and waited for her, still leaning on her car. Suddenly, Gwen had a mental image of another man, with longish dark hair, leaning on a green Camaro waiting for her so that he could offer her a ride home. She shook her head and blinked, and the man waiting for her was Eric again, complete with his trademark Nikon camera slung around his neck.

Gwen reached her car and faced Eric, hands on her hips and eyebrow arched. "What are you doing here?"

"Well hello to you, too." Eric greeted her, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. Gwen closed her eyes, and a memory flashed in her mind, of someone else giving her a kiss the exact same way in the middle of a dance. But then it passed, and she was looking into Eric's clear blue eyes again.

"Seriously, is everything okay?" Gwen asked. "I thought we were going to meet later tonight, not after school."

"We were, but I've got some news and I really wanted to tell you as soon as possible." Eric said excitedly, eyes shining.

Gwen perked up. "It's good to go?"

Eric grinned at her. "Yup! By this time next week, I, Eric Brookes, will be in Costa Rica photographing the elusive leopard for Natural Geographic magazine!"

Gwen shrieked. A couple of students looked at her curiously. Gwen ignored them and gave Eric a hug. "I'm so happy for you! You've been waiting for this opportunity for ages!"

"I know, I'm so excited! I came all the way here just to tell you first thing." Eric suddenly looked nervous.

Gwen stared at him. "What?"

Eric shuffled his feet. "Well, you know this assignment comes with a huge bonus, right?"

"Yeah, and…?"

"Well…" Eric reached into his pocket and pulled out something that made Gwen's jaw drop in shock. "That means I can finally afford one of these, plus a few extras." It was a blue, velvet ring box.

Without warning, Eric dropped down on one knee and took Gwen's hand in his own. "Gwen, I know we've only been together for a year, but I've never felt this way about any other girl before, and I realized that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So Gwendolyn Tennyson, would you make me the happiest man in the world by agreeing to marry me?"

Gwen was speechless. Of all the things she would have expected, this was the last. Marriage! With wildlife photographer Eric Brookes? Eric had opened the ring box. Nestled against the dark velvet was a silver band set with a square-cut diamond, with two smaller diamonds framing it on each side. She stared down at Eric's hopeful face, and thought quickly. Did she love him? Yes. Did she want to marry him? Maybe. He was pretty good to her, came from a decent family, had no drug/drinking/smoking problems… there was no reason for her to say no, really. No reason except… no. Past was past, and it was dead and gone. With a small smile, Gwen nodded.

"Yes." Gwen told him finally. "I'll marry you."

Students, and even faculty (!) around them clapped and cheered. Gwen hadn't realized that a crowd had gathered around them to witness Eric's proposal. Grinning from ear to ear, Eric slipped the ring on Gwen's finger and leaned down to give her a kiss. But just as before, it suddenly wasn't Eric kissing her, but someone else entirely. Gwen gave herself a mental slap. _Stop it!_

She opened her eyes and gave Eric a dazzling smile. She was in love with Eric now, and dwelling on ghosts from the past wouldn't do. She just had to focus. It was Eric she was with now, and no one else. Heck, he was her fiancé! Thinking about someone else instead of your husband-to-be wasn't exactly the way to kick start a lifetime of wedded bliss.

"I love you, Gwen." Eric told her earnestly.

"I love you, too." Gwen replied, making her face as cheerful as possible.

She was engaged now. She should be feeling deliriously happy, right? Gwen unconsciously touched the crystal she wore around her neck. Right. Deliriously happy.

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_Saturday, One week later, Gwen and Julie's apartment._

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"_Gwen…"_

"_Kevin! You're back!"_

"_I promised, didn't I?"_

"_Don't ever leave me again."_

THUNK!

Gwen's eyes popped open. She was about to close them again when she heard another loud noise. Checking the clock on her bedside table, she groaned.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Gwen carefully got out of her bed and made her way to the bedroom door. Easing it open, she stepped out into the quaint little apartment she shared with Julie, who was currently making an unnecessary racket in the kitchen.

Gwen shook her head in resignation.

"Julie, do you have any idea what time it is?" Gwen asked, as she sat down at the table yawning.

"Yes, I am perfectly aware that it is 7 am in the morning." Julie answered happily, cracking an egg open against a bowl while a pan heated up on the stove.

"It's Saturday."

"I know! Ben's coming home today!"

Gwen smiled. Ben came home about once a month from official Plumber business in space. After he had finished official training a few years back, he was now qualified to attend to interplanetary affairs in their sector, as opposed to just being relegated to Earth when they were younger.

"He's coming back in the afternoon." Gwen reminded Julie. "You still have hours left to get ready."

Gwen drummed her fingers on the table. Usually when Ben came home, it was Gwen's policy to leave the apartment to him and Julie for the night and sleep at Eric's place. Unfortunately, Eric had left for Costa Rica two days ago, which means she had to find some other place to crash in for the night. Maybe she could go back to her parents' house? Or maybe sleep on the couch at Ken's? She was sure Ken and his wife Amy would take her in. Besides, she hadn't seen her two-year old niece Jennifer in awhile.

Julie dropped a plate of eggs on the table in front of Gwen, humming as she went back to the stove. Gwen looked at Julie with amusement. She and Ben were just the cutest couple. Even though Ben spent a lot of time out of the planet these days, the two were still going strong. Julie worked as an interpreter in the Japanese Embassy, and sometimes, when Ben came home, she wasn't always in the country. It was a good thing, though, that Ben had command of a spaceship, which meant he could go visit her anywhere on Earth at a moment's notice.

Gwen stood up and poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot in the machine. Julie turned off the stove and set her own plate of eggs on the table. As Gwen turned around, her engagement ring caught the early morning sunlight.

"Careful with that!" Julie laughed. "You could blind someone!"

Gwen laughed and sat back down while Julie poured hot water into her own mug and placed a teabag in it.

"Does Ben know you're engaged yet?"

"I plan on telling him today. You know how hard it is to contact him when he's in space."

Julie frowned. "He's not that far out in space. He's still in the same solar system. I know your powers' range extends only until really deep space. You can contact him anytime."

Gwen didn't answer. She didn't have to. Julie knew she hadn't used her powers in years, and her manna seemed to have dried up from disuse. That didn't stop Julie from nagging her, though.

In fact, not only did Gwen stop using her powers, she also avoided doing anything even remotely related to aliens or space, although she made an effort when it came to Ben. It wasn't his fault that what happened happened, and he couldn't change who he was. Gwen really couldn't change who she was either, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to try. Not using her powers was one way. Shifting courses in college from Astrophysics to English Lit was another. Today Gwen was living a relatively normal life free from aliens and Plumbers. Well, almost. Ben was the exception. It was just that cutting herself off from all that made forgetting easier, and forgetting was the only way she could cope.

Five years. It had been five years since Kevin left, and four since news that he had been captured by Antarrians arrived. Captured, tortured, and killed. The Antarrians hadn't even bothered to return the body, saying only that it had been 'disposed of'. Considering the group's reputation, 'disposed of' could mean a number of things, from being ejected into space alive to being fed to ravenous alien beasts.

A tear threatened to roll down Gwen's cheek, and she hastily turned away from Julie to wipe at it. She still missed him, every hour of every day. When she met Eric a little less than a year ago, she thought that he would be the one to fill the void Kevin left. But he couldn't. She realized that now. No one could. The best she could do was try to forget about the pain. Maybe if she ignored it, it would go away eventually.

_Fat chance_, Gwen thought. She fingered the necklace Kevin had given her the night before he left. It was the one thing of his that she couldn't bear to part with, even if it served as a constant reminder of his absence. She wore it as a sort of tribute to him, and hadn't taken it off ever since he put it on her all those years ago. Eric had asked her once where it came from. She just said it came from a friend. Gwen never told Eric about Kevin, yet another secret she kept from him, the first being the fact that practically her entire family was descended from aliens and that she and her cousin had powers. All Eric knew was that she lost a friend a long time ago, which explained why she sometimes became sad for no apparent reason. Eric also thought Ben was some kind of explorer, which accounted for his constant absence in Bellwood.

Gwen grabbed a fork and stuffed a hunk of egg in her mouth. Chewing, she contemplated her relationship with Eric. They had met at the local Starbucks, after Eric had accidentally tipped over her latte while reaching for his. He had bought her a replacement, and then proceeded to ask her out. Gwen had refused, even though she had to admit he was cute, and it wasn't as if she were taken. Technically. After she'd told Julie about the incident, the Asian girl was sympathetic, although she (gently) reminded Gwen that she was single, and that one date wouldn't kill her. Besides, Julie had said, Gwen needed to get out more. It wasn't healthy for a 22 year old to be so closed-off and withdrawn. So Gwen had gone back to Starbucks the next day, and as fate would have it, Eric was there as well. One year later, they were a couple.

"I had a dream about Kevin again." Gwen blurted out. Julie looked at her with concern.

"Gwen… you're engaged now." Julie said in a small voice. "And Kevin… well, he's gone."

Gwen swilled her coffee around in its cup. "I know that. It's just that I can't stop thinking about him. Even after all these years. I… I sometimes imagine that Eric's him. I can't seem to help it." She looked at Julie pleadingly. "Does this mean I shouldn't marry Eric? I mean, it's not fair to him if I keep thinking of someone else when I'm with him, right?"

"But you love Eric, don't you? And you two are happy together?" Julie asked.

"Yes, but he's not Kevin…"

"No he's not." Julie said firmly. "But he's a good guy who loves you." She glanced at Gwen, her eyes softening. "You've got to move on, Gwen. It's been 5 years."

"I'm trying to." Gwen replied. "It's not as bad as it was before."

"I remember." Julie said "You kept to yourself completely. I had to drag you out of your room at one point."

Gwen smiled ruefully. "You couldn't actually. Ben had to come in as Humongousaur."

"Oh yeah…"

Gwen sighed. "So you're saying I should marry Eric?"

"I'm saying you should try to be happy." Julie patted Gwen on the shoulder. "If you're having second thoughts, I'm sure Eric will understand if you tell him you need more time to decide."

Gwen looked at the ring glinting on her finger. "You know, Eric's a great guy and I'm really happy with him. I really should just… let go. It's not as if…" Gwen's voice broke, "…as if Kevin's coming back." She finished quietly.

Julie cleared her throat. "So when are you planning on telling Eric about Ben and aliens and everything?"

"I don't know. I'm thinking when he gets back from Costa Rica in a few weeks." Gwen took a sip of coffee. "I'll be at Ken's tonight, by the way, so you can have time alone with Ben."

Julie beamed at Gwen. "Thanks."

Just then, Gwen's cell phone rang. Gwen stood up and picked it up from where she left it on the coffee table in the living room the night before. She checked the caller id.

"It's Ben." She said, confused. If he could get a signal on her phone, that meant he was already on Earth. She answered the call, then put it on speaker phone so that Julie could hear too. "I thought you were coming home this afternoon?"

"Gwen," came Ben's voice from the other line. "I'm still at the Plumber's space station. I had to connect my phone to a router to reach you. This call's expensive, so I'll make it quick. Pack some clothes. If Julie's with you, ask her to come too."

"What? Why? Where are we going?"

"You're coming to the Plumber's space station as soon as possible. Gwen… we found Kevin."

^*^*^*^*^

A/N: Cliffy! Next chapter will deal with what happened to Kevin in those five years. Did he find his father? How come he only resurfaced now? And what will his reaction be when he finds out Gwen's engaged? Please R&R!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10 Alien Force and any of the characters.

A/N: Thanks for waiting, everyone! I was really busy this past week, so I had absolutely no time to write. Plus I have a cold right now, so forgive me if this chapter seems a bit disjointed. I wrote it in between blowing my nose and sneezing. 

Chapter 3

^*^*^*^*^

_Plumber Base, Quadrant 2-A, Asteroid B-24, Present day_

^*^*^*^*^

Kevin sat quietly on a nice, cushy chair in the Plumbers' briefing room. It had been so long since he'd actually sat on something soft. Catching his reflection in the glass window, Kevin could barely recognize himself. His hair was too long and slightly matted in places, his face gaunter and bearded. His eyes had a deadened, haunted look about them, and a white scar cut angrily across his right eyebrow. Kevin hadn't looked at himself in a mirror for five years. He shuddered. He needed a haircut and a shave, and probably a few square meals. But first things first. He had to see _her._

Carefully he brought out the battered old holo-viewer and played the recording. The image had gone slightly patchy and the sound scratchy in some parts, but he didn't care. _You have stolen my heart_… The Kevin and Gwen in the tiny projection held each other close and swayed together without a care in the world.

The door to the briefing room cracked open and Kevin hastily turned the holo-viewer off and shoved it into his pocket. Ben shuffled into the room, his expression one of seriousness mingled with some pity. Kevin hated that look. Still, he had to admit Ben had done some growing up in the time he'd been away. Gone was the scrawny kid who got overexcited over new smoothie flavors. This Ben was still thin, but more on the lean side than skinny. He'd grown taller too, and was now almost as tall as he was. His face now also held a certain gravitas that certainly wasn't there when Kevin left.

"I just called her." Ben told Kevin. "There's already a ship there ready to pick her up. She's on her way."

Kevin looked at Ben carefully. There was something he wasn't telling him. Kevin could see it in the way Ben wouldn't meet his eyes completely whenever Gwen was being talked about. After all these years, Ben was still so transparent. Still so predictable.

"Spit it out, Tennyson."

Ben started, the ghost of a half-smile playing on his lips. "You were always good at reading people."

"Only people I actually pay attention to."

Ben sighed. "Gwen's seeing someone. You've been gone a long time."

Kevin nodded. He knew it must have been something like that. What did he expect? That Gwen would sit around twiddling her thumbs until he came back? He himself had told her not to wait for him. Kevin stared at the table. He didn't resent her for finding someone else, but that didn't mean he had to be completely fine with it either.

Ben cleared his throat. "Anyway, I brought you this." Kevin then noticed that Ben had a tray in his hands. "It's only some fruit, graham crackers, and water, unfortunately. You'll have to wait until we get to Earth for a cheeseburger and soda." He set the tray down on the table.

Kevin grunted his thanks, but didn't touch the food. He had lost his appetite.

Ben reached out and gave Kevin a brotherly pat on the shoulder. "I have to go report to the Magister. He… uh… was wondering when you'd be ready to give your statement."

"Tell him I'll give it whenever they need it."

Ben gave him another pitying look, making Kevin want to shout at him.

"I'll be right back." Ben assured him, then closed the door quietly behind him.

Kevin stared out the window, into the cluster of asteroids floating eerily beside them. It was so long ago, but he could still remember…

^*^*^*^*^

_Five years ago, A little way past Pluto, Space._

^*^*^*^*^

"Our assignment is simple: Isolate the source of the distress call on the planet, search for the caller, ascertain whether he is in fact Ethan Levin, then return to base with that person…"

Kevin slouched against his seat in the spacecraft and stared broodingly into the blackness outside, completely ignoring the alien Captain's briefing. One hand was clenched into a fist, while the other gripped the holo-viewer Gwen had given him earlier that evening.

"Owing to the fact that Sector 68 has some of the most hostile inhabitants in the galaxy, extreme caution must be exercised even though the planet we're visiting is uninhabited…"

There were five of them in the ship, all different alien races. All of them were wearing regulation gray Plumber space suits, and with the exception of the Captain and the pilot, were all rookies. It was merely an investigation into a distress call after all, so there was no real need to send more. Magister Hy'la'ar, the one who contacted Kevin, wasn't even accompanying them. Still, all were outfitted with Level 5 short-burst laser guns, in case of any conflict they might encounter.

One of the rookies, a Terranite whose body was composed of organic rock, peered curiously at Kevin. He stood up and took the empty seat beside the human.

"I heard the man we're rescuing is your father." He said through a language translator on his throat.

Kevin, who wore a similar device, muttered gruffly. "Supposed to be." He continued staring at the stars.

"My name is Tor." The Terranite said, pointing at himself, oblivious to Kevin's apparent desire to be left alone.

"Kevin." Kevin replied, still not looking at him.

Tor pointed at the holo-viewer in Kevin's hand. "Why do you have that?"

Kevin sighed, annoyed. "My girlfriend gave me this." He pressed a button and the image of him and Gwen dancing appeared for a few seconds before he turned it back off.

"Girl… friend?" Tor asked confused. Some things were just lost in translation, especially when it came to communicating with different alien species.

"My… uh… partner, mate, whatever."Kevin said testily.

"Ah, you are bonded with that female." Tor said knowledgeably.

Kevin, who had no idea what 'bonded' connoted in the Terranite language, merely shrugged.

"Do you have many offspring?" Tor continued conversationally.

Kevin's eyes bugged out. "NO…! I mean…" He glanced at Tor, who looked alarmed at his outburst. "In my planet, we're still considered… uh… young. Well, not so young, but not really ready for… for _offspring._"

Tor nodded. "Fascinating. You know, Kevin, you are the first Earth creature I have ever met. Given the chance and the time, I would like to learn more about your culture and customs."

"Yeah, good for you." Kevin said.

He turned back to his window. Tor however, remained sitting beside Kevin, and began rambling on about his life in Terran and how he became a Plumber. Kevin gritted his teeth and nodded randomly. Apparently, Tor was as dense as his skin. Couldn't the guy take a hint? He wasn't in the mood to talk!

As Tor babbled on about his childhood hopes and dreams, Kevin's thoughts went back to the last moments he'd shared with Gwen a few hours ago. She had gone with him to the roof of the abandoned warehouse the Magister had directed him to. They had stood there in the dark, both still in their prom outfits, Gwen shivering slightly from the cold. Kevin had just taken off his coat and placed it over her shoulders when three short bursts of light from above signaled the arrival of the spaceship that was going to take him away.

"Gwen," he'd told her as a small craft slowly landed on the roof, "Don't put your life on hold for me, okay?"

"What do you mean?" Gwen had asked, eyes wide.

"I mean I might not be back for… a while. It's perfectly okay if you want to go date somebody else." Kevin had said, even though deep inside it wasn't really okay.

Gwen had gently placed her hands around Kevin's face and kissed him. "I don't want anybody else."

"You don't have to wait for me." He'd repeated, as the door to the ship hissed open, and the Captain stepped out.

Gwen had looked him in the eye. "Kevin, I love you. I always will."

"Kevin Levin?" the Captain had inquired.

"Just a sec." Kevin had said, then stared at Gwen. He wanted to tattoo her image in his mind. After pulling her against him and giving her one last, final kiss, Kevin made for the ship.

"Oh, and Gwen," Kevin had said, turning around. He had tossed something at Gwen, who, with her quick reflexes, had caught it with no problem. It was his car keys. "Camaro's yours until I get back. Go on some joy rides."

Gwen had laughed, and somehow, their parting wasn't so depressing anymore.

"I will."

And he left, making for a window seat so that he could keep staring at Gwen until he couldn't anymore. He'd been staring out the window ever since.

"… and once I'd shed my crumbling outer-skin, I was now ready for my adulthood ceremony. I still remember how nervous I was…"

Kevin couldn't believe it. Tor was still talking. Mercifully, the Captain interrupted their "conversation".

"We are now sufficiently past any planets or space debris to go into hyperspeed. Please fasten your safety harnesses."

Kevin, who already belted himself in, braced himself. A few seconds later, Kevin felt the craft's rapid acceleration; the stars outside became white lines skating beside their ship. They were going into deep space, farther than Kevin had ever gone in the galaxy. Another few seconds later, the stars looked normal again, twinkling innocently in the distance, but Kevin could tell that they were in someplace completely different. For one thing, the speck of a galaxy they could now see in the distance wasn't there a moment ago. And for another, they were now being bathed by the glow of a huge, red sun to their right. Kevin could see why they only traveled at hyperspeed up to this point. The space around them was littered with many gigantic fragments of rock, probably left over from a planet that blew up. There were also bigger planets nearby. This area was too densely packed for fast travel. He didn't envy the pilot. It would take a lot of skill to navigate this sector of the galaxy.

"We will arrive at Planet 45-C in a few days. I suggest you all get to know each other until that time." The Captain informed them.

Kevin groaned inwardly. More days of listening to Tor, who was now happily returning to his story. Kevin blocked him out again and his thoughts strayed to the possibility of meeting his father. What would he say to him? _Hey, dad. Where were you all these years? Hey dad, why did you leave me and mom? Hey dad, did you even care about me?_ Even in his head, these questions sounded stupid and childish.

"Did I hear right? You're the guy we're saving's son?" the other rookie alien piped up, after sidling into the seat in the row in front of Kevin. It was a Pyronite, his flames contained in a specially-made suit. Kevin grunted in assent.

"I heard this guy's been MIA for years. Wonder why he's only calling for help now." He continued.

Kevin was wondering the exact same thing.

"I'm Pyrone, the Pyronite. My parents weren't very creative in naming me." Pyrone chuckled at himself. Kevin only managed a weak grimace.

Tor introduced himself and Kevin. Pyrone nodded in acknowledgement. "I hope there's some action. I haven't seen any in a while." He said eagerly.

Kevin seriously doubted Pyrone had ever seen any action at all. How did he get stuck with these aliens? Feeling irritable, Kevin kept his mouth shut. He was never any good at keeping his temper and feelings in check, and here in space, he was devoid of his only coping mechanism, namely tinkering with his car. He needed time to digest everything that had happened in the past six hours, and for that, he needed solitude. Impossible with Tor and Pyrone chatting up a storm beside him. Any moment now, he could snap.

"I need to use the bathroom." Kevin announced, standing up abruptly. He quickly made his way to the appropriate cubicle at the back of the ship, the one marked with a picture of a bipedal creature. Beside that cubicle were other similar rooms marked with, among others, pictures of creatures with four-legs, no legs, or no form. Kevin grinned despite himself. Non-discriminatory toilets. Only Plumbers could think up something like that.

He shut the door, then turned to the sink, splashing cold water on his face. He felt tired all of the sudden. Fatigued. He had no idea what to expect once they landed. Part of him was excited by the idea of meeting his father. Another part, he was ashamed to admit, wished the distress call had never come, had never disrupted his life on Earth with Gwen.

No use wishing things that happened never happened, though. He'd deal with what he'd say to his father if and when the time came. Kevin shook his head to clear it, then stepped out of the cubicle. Might as well get to know his fellow rookies.

^*^*^*^*^

_A few days later, _Planet 45-C

^*^*^*^*^

Kevin looked around. The planet they were on was dry, dusty and desolate. There were no living creatures in sight apart from his group. Beside him, Tor and Pyrone clutched their laser guns nervously.

"I don't like this. It's too quiet." Pyrone muttered.

The Captain made a signal, and the five member team moved forward. In the Captain's hand was a badge, tracking the signal of Ethan Levin's own. They reached an outcrop of rock jutting from the ground. The Captain made another signal and the four other Plumbers spread out around the rocks, covering it from all angles. The Captain moved forward.

There, behind the biggest boulder, was a blinking badge. Nothing else. Kevin let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding as the Captain reached down and picked up the discarded green and black disk.

"Stay sharp." He commanded, looking around suspiciously.

Just then, all hell broke loose.

Lasers shot out from above. Their pilot, Antero, got hit and crumpled to the ground, not moving. The rest managed to evade the first onslaught, but Kevin knew it was only just beginning. A ship was descending, shots still bursting from its cannons. Kevin's blood grew cold. It was an Antarrian Obliterator, fully armed and bigger than the one Ship had turned into years before. Their Level 5 lasers would only scratch and dent the exterior.

Beside him, Pyrone fell. It was only him, Tor, and the Captain left. They ducked behind the outcrop, Tor managing to haul their injured or dead – in the confusion it was difficult to tell – comrades along. Suddenly the lasers converged into one concentrated, continuous beam. Kevin had no doubt that its intention was to obliterate the rock they were currently hiding behind. There was only one thing to do.

Kevin stood up determinedly.

"Kevin, stand down!" the Captain yelled as Kevin slowly made his way into the laser's path. Kevin ignored him. Only the ship's own weapons could damage it. Gritting his teeth, Kevin did something he only attempted once in Plumbers' training. He stepped into the laser beam.

Heat coursed into his body as he absorbed the laser's energy. It was too much, his body couldn't absorb so much… No, he had to. There was no other way.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!" Kevin yelled as he concentrated with all his might, using his own body as a conduit and redirecting the laser's beam back to the Obliterator. With a deafening boom, the hull of the ship exploded, and the craft came crashing down.

Kevin swayed where he stood, his vision going foggy and his brain faintly registering the pain he felt all over. Just before he blacked out, he could make out the shape of another Obliterator coming in. Knowing that they were all going to die, he faded into unconsciousness.

^*^*^*^*^

_Plumber Base, Present day_

^*^*^*^*^

The door to the briefing room opened again, jolting Kevin back to the present. He looked up and met the stern gazes of Magister Hy'la'ar and Magister Ghilhil. The two were followed closely by Ben, who shut the door behind him.

"Welcome back, rookie." Magister Ghilhil said.

"I'm not a rookie anymore." Kevin retorted, not breaking eye contact.

The Magister sighed. "So you're not. You've been gone awhile. Everyone thought you were dead."

Kevin managed to crack a wry smile. "I'm full of surprises." He said dryly. Ben shook his head in amusement.

Magister Hy'la'ar cleared his throat. "We need you to make your official statement regarding the events leading up to the destruction of the main Antarrian base in Sector 68. Ben here will record whatever you say."

Kevin turned his attention to Hy'la'ar and glared at him. "Tell me where he is first."

"He is currently detained in one of our top security cells at the Null Void." Magister Hy'la'ar replied.

"I told you that won't be necessary! He's going to cooperate!" Kevin said angrily, his voice rising.

"Maybe so, but he is still guilty of several crimes. Until his trial, I'm afraid he'll have to stay locked up."

"Bullshit!" Kevin yelled, knocking his chair down by getting to his feet. He stood at the table, glowering at Magister Hy'la'ar. "We had a deal. He stays locked up, fine. But here in the Plumber's Base, not in the Null Void!"

"Despite your role in our victory against the Antarrians, you're in no position to make demands." Magister Hy'la'ar said, unfazed by Kevin's outburst.

Kevin clenched his fist. He was _this_ close to absorbing the metal table and hitting the Magister. Sensing danger, Ben stepped towards Kevin to stop him before he did anything stupid, but he didn't have to. Magister Ghilhil put a hand on Magister Hy'la'ar's shoulder.

"We can perhaps come to a compromise. As long as he talks, and helps us round up the rest of the Antarrians, he can be detained here." Ghilhil said. "In the meantime though, until we can process the necessary paperwork, I'm afraid he'll have to stay in the Null Void."

"How long will the paperwork take?" Kevin asked through gritted teeth, his fist still clenched.

"One to two days."

Kevin closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down. "Then my father will be transferred here?"

"Yes. Ethan Levin shall be moved here."

"Then I'm ready to make my statement."

Ben fiddled with the small recorder box. "Ready when you are."

Kevin opened his mouth to talk, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. It opened, and a rookie peeked in.

"Sorry to disturb you, sir. But Ben Tennyson's guests have just arrived."

The door opened wide to reveal Gwen and Julie standing on the threshold.

Gwen and Kevin stared at each other, neither of them able to make a sound. Gwen's eyes were wide, and as she took in Kevin's appearance, they slowly filled with tears.

"Kevin…" she finally whispered.

Kevin made to move towards her but Gwen shook her head and stepped back, clapping a hand to her mouth to choke back the sob that was threatening to overcome her.

It was then that Kevin saw the ring glinting on Gwen's finger.

^*^*^*^*^

A/N: Another cliffy! No promises on when the next chapter will come up, since I don't know how much time I'll have to devote to writing in the near future. Hope you guys like this one, though! I thought I'll keep you in suspense about what really happened between Kevin and his dad, and why it took five years for him to come back (plus I still have to work out a few plot kinks). Anyways, as always, let me know what you think by pressing the 'Review' button below!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10 Alien Force and any of the characters.

A/N: I just noticed a plot hole at the end of the 2nd chapter, when Ben called Gwen on her cell phone. I made it out that Ben was on Earth, because I'd originally intended for Ben to escort them back to the space station. But then changed my mind and forgot to change the last part so that Ben would still be at the space station with Kevin. So anyhoo, I reposted Chapter 2 to correct my mistake. Sorry if anyone was confused when they read it.

Moving on… here's Chapter 4! Enjoy!

Chapter 4

^*^*^*^*^

_Plumber Base, Present day_

^*^*^*^*^

Kevin couldn't believe it. Gwen, _his_ Gwen, was engaged. But no, he couldn't think of her as _his _anymore, could he? He stared at the diamond Gwen was wearing. It glinted there on her finger, mocking him.

"You're _engaged_?!" Ben blurted out incredulously, his eyes bugging out.

Julie looked at Ben reproachfully, walked over to him and clutched his hand. She tiptoed and whispered quietly into his ear.

"Right." Ben muttered. He straightened himself up. "Magisters… if we could give Kevin and Gwen some time alone?"

Magister Ghilhil and Hy'la'ar exchanged looks. "Make it quick. I still need his statement." Magister Hy'la'ar grunted bluntly, moving towards the door. He was followed in quick succession by everyone else, leaving Kevin and Gwen alone in the room.

Kevin glanced back at Gwen. She was crying silently, tears pouring down her cheeks. She remained standing even after Kevin beckoned her to sit down.

Kevin took a deep breath, then went around the table until he was standing directly in front of her. This time Gwen didn't move away, although she had a hard time meeting his eyes.

"Don't cry, Gwen. You know I hate it when you do." Kevin said quietly. He looked down at her slim frame, and all the shock, anger, and hurt he felt in the last few minutes evaporated, to be replaced by sadness. Gwen didn't reply, but started taking deep breaths as though to calm herself.

Gwen was so familiar to him, and yet so different now. Her hair was shorter than he remembered, now only falling a little past her shoulders. She was also smaller to Kevin than before, because he'd grown taller in the time he was away. She looked older too, but not in a wrinkles/crows-feet kind of way. It was the way she carried herself, as though she knew so much more of the world now than she did at eighteen. But her eyes, those clear green orbs that had captivated him from the first time he'd looked into them, were still the same, though presently blurred with tears. The sadness Kevin felt deepened. How much of her life had he missed? Five years had made Gwen practically a stranger to him.

Kevin fumbled in his pockets for a hanky, a tissue, or something, for Gwen. He got nothing. Of course, what did he expect? He hadn't changed clothes since the entire Antarrian base operation. He imagined how he must look to Gwen. He was filthy, unkempt, and ragged, a shadow of his formerly robust self.

"I… uh, wasn't expecting to see you so soon. I would've cleaned up a little." Kevin mumbled apologetically.

Despite her tears, Gwen chuckled. Then she hiccupped and began dabbing at her eyes with her finger. Finally, she spoke. "I'm so sorry I'm such a mess, Kevin. It's just that… I wasn't expecting to ever see you again."

Kevin glanced down at his ripped and tattered Plumber's suit. "I think I'm the one who's a mess, not you." He said wryly, making Gwen laugh. She hiccupped again.

"Here." Kevin said, reaching for the glass of water Ben had brought in earlier and handing it to Gwen. Gwen took a few delicate sips and set the glass down again. She blinked back the last of her tears and stared up at Kevin.

_This is good._ Kevin thought. _We're having a semi-normal conversation_. Somehow, just talking casually like this made it easier to ignore everything that had happened – or in this case didn't happen – between them in the past five years. Kevin could almost delude himself into thinking he'd never been away.

"You kept the necklace." He commented, pointing at her neck.

"I never take it off." Gwen said with a small smile. But it quickly disappeared. "I thought you were dead."

Kevin sighed. So much for pretending nothing was wrong. "That's what the Antarrians wanted everyone to think, so the Plumbers wouldn't send any rescue teams after me anymore."

"But… why did they want to capture you in the first place?"

"My powers. They wanted to use me the same way Vulcanus did with the crystal." Kevin muttered, his face darkening. "The same reason they kidnapped my father all those years ago."

Gwen's eyes widened in shock. "You're father's alive?"

"Yeah. You can meet him in a few days." Kevin scowled. "That is if they don't go back on their word to release him from the Null Void."

"But… why is he there?"

"Because he turned Antarrian." Kevin said. Noticing the look on Gwen's face, he added, "He's not a bad guy. It's just that… being forced to absorb all these substances… it's torture, Gwen, you have no idea. Turning Antarrian was the only way to make it stop."

Gwen looked horrified. "Did they… did you…?"

"They did the same to me." Kevin said, his voice laced with bitterness. "Made me absorb all these precious metals, crystals… whatever's valuable. They sucked me dry for almost two freakin' years. But I didn't go over to their side. I wouldn't give those bastards the satisfaction."

"Oh, Kevin…" Gwen started tearing up again. She hesitated for a moment, then put her arms around Kevin tenderly.

Kevin bent down and rested his head on Gwen's shoulder, letting her cradle him. He felt a stinging in his eyes and realized he was crying. He hadn't been held like this for so long, and after all that he'd been through… Kevin bit back the howl threatening to come out of his mouth and instead clutched Gwen to him tightly. They held each other for a minute, a few seconds – it could even have been hours. Time ceased to exist for Kevin. All that mattered was Gwen, Gwen and her familiar magnolia scent, Gwen and her warm arms around him. But then he remembered.

Kevin stiffened, then gently pried himself away. Gwen stepped back, looking bewildered and slightly hurt at his sudden coldness. "Does your fiancé know you're here?"

Gwen bit her lip guiltily. "No. He's in Costa Rica, photographing leopards."

"What is he, some animal-rights activist?"

"Wildlife photographer."

"Oh." Kevin didn't know what to say anymore. What else was there to say? "Does he, uh… know about…" he gestured around him, "… all this?"

"No." Gwen said, looking at her feet.

Kevin felt his temper rising. "Some marriage that'll be. What're you planning to do? Surprise him on your wedding night? 'Hey honey, by the way, I can shoot pink lasers from my hands and eyes. Hope that doesn't freak you out.' That what you're planning to tell him?" Kevin didn't know why he was so angry. Maybe it was because Gwen preferred some sissy photographer guy over him. Or maybe what irked him most was the fact that Gwen kept the world she knew a secret from her fiancé. The world that Kevin was, and is, a part of. Was she trying to erase her ties to the Plumbers, and by association him, from her life?

Gwen looked abashed. "Actually… I can't anymore. I lost my powers." She said in a small voice.

"That's impossible." Kevin said harshly. He stopped. Why was he being such a jerk? He took a deep breath, trying to keep his temper in check. "Your powers are part of your biological make-up. You can't just lose them." He amended, in a much more agreeable voice.

Gwen raised a hand to her face and concentrated, trying to call forth some manna.

Nothing.

"See?" Gwen said, dropping her hand.

Kevin stared at Gwen in disbelief. Who was this woman? The Gwen he knew was a fighter. She'd never give up just like that. This Gwen was a pale and diminished version of the original.

"What happened to you?" Kevin asked in a quiet voice.

Gwen looked back at him, and Kevin caught a quick gleam of defiance in her eyes before it disappeared. "I could ask you the same question."

^*^*^*^*^

"What happened to you?"

What happened to her? Gwen couldn't answer that because she herself didn't know for sure. She knew he wasn't referring to specific events in her life. Instead she answered his question with one of her own. "I could ask you the same question."

He was different, and not just the way he looked, although she had to admit that his appearance alarmed her when she first saw him again. She practically didn't recognize him. No, what had changed in Kevin was the clear fact that he now carried a lot of emotional baggage, more so than when they re-met at fifteen. It was evident in the crease that seemed to be a permanent fixture on his brow, the haunted look in his eyes, and the slightly slumped set of his shoulders. What _had _happened to him?

"What happened to me is this," Kevin said impatiently. "I got captured, I escaped, found my dad, got him to help me take out the Antarrian base, blew it up, and now here I am."

Gwen knew Kevin had been through a lot, and she was trying to be considerate, but she was honestly starting to get annoyed. He had no right to be angry with her! She thought he was dead! Sometimes Kevin had more mood swings that a girl with PMS. "In that case," she said, a little more icily than she intended, "what happened to me was that I went to college, got a job, got engaged, and now here I am, talking to you."

Kevin opened his mouth to say something back, but then shook his head, sighed, and said in a serious voice, "So what do we do now?"

Gwen looked at the floor, as though the answer to Kevin's question would suddenly pop up from the ground. She felt so confused. She'd already written Kevin off as dead for all those years, and to see him alive again… she didn't know what to feel. She didn't even know if the Kevin standing before her was the same Kevin she fell in love with. He seemed so different now, so much more conflicted.

And what about Eric? She clenched her fingers around the ring he gave her. He was a wonderful, issue-free man who treated her well and loved her completely. She couldn't just leave him in a heartbeat, not after all their history.

"Do you love him?"

Gwen looked up and noticed that Kevin was eyeing her ring again. His expression was closed, unreadable.

"Yes."

Kevin said nothing, and Gwen avoided looking at his face. She would have been lying if she had said no. But then again, she was still in love with Kevin too. That much she still knew. Gwen closed her eyes in frustration. Why does life always have to be so damn difficult?

"That's that then." Kevin muttered, deciding for both of them. He straightened up. "I've got official Plumber stuff I need to do. Then I gotta go find my mom, tell her about dad. We probably won't see each other for awhile."

So that was it. Kevin was going to avoid her from now on, and apparently, not even willing to fight for her. Gwen felt rejected, even though technically she was the one who, indirectly or not, rejected him. She glanced at her ring again, at the diamond twinkling innocently on her finger. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe.

"Well, if you ever need… help, or someone to talk to, or whatever… you can always find me." Gwen said, in an effort to make peace and to clear the dead air around them.

"Yeah. We'll see." Kevin shrugged.

He took one last look at her, then left the room, leaving Gwen alone with her thoughts.

^*^*^*^*^

_One week later, Bellwood High_

^*^*^*^*^

Gwen was getting frustrated. These kids were impossible! It was the first day of summer school, and she was having trouble getting the six students assigned to her to pay attention. Their classroom was inconveniently right beside the parking lot too, which meant the students had a clear view of the bright, sunny weather outside, adding to all the possible distractions that could crop up.

Tammie, a blond wearing bright pink lip gloss and a tight-fitting shirt raised her hand. Gwen, who was halfway through discussing the difference between alliteration and assonance, nodded at her. "Yes?"

"Ms. Tennyson, is it possible to dismiss us early? I have a party to go to after and I really don't want to be late." She asked cheerfully.

"Yeah!" Matt, a sandy-haired boy with freckles, seconded.

Before Gwen could respond, Jan, a dark-haired girl with even darker eyeliner, scoffed a few desks away. "Like she's going to let us off."

"Just shut it all of you." Drake, a boy with huge arms, grumbled.

Gwen opened her mouth to tell everyone off but was interrupted again, this time by a roaring sound from outside. She whipped her head around just in time to catch a black Ducati screech to a halt in a parking space through the window. The rider killed the engine, got up, and took his helmet off. Gwen's eyes widened. It was Kevin!

He was wearing a black motorcycle jacket and a gray t-shirt with dark jeans. His hair was shorter than she'd ever seen it, his neck exposed and his forehead free of any bangs, making the scar across his eyebrow more prominent. His cheeks were no longer hollowed-out like she remembered in the space station; it seemed as though he was starting to gain back the weight he lost in those five years in space.

Her students gaped at him, and Gwen could swear that the girls in her class were all eyeing Kevin appreciatively. She even caught Tammie biting at her lower lip! The boys on the other hand, were whispering excitedly about the bike.

As though he sensed he was being watched, Kevin turned and looked in their direction. Catching sight of Gwen in the classroom, he cocked his head, beckoning her to come out.

"Excuse me." Gwen told her class, making for the exit.

"Ooooh… who is he?" Tammie asked excitedly. "He's hot!"

"A friend." Gwen muttered, leaving her class speechless at the thought of straight-laced Ms. Tennyson knowing someone as cool-looking as Kevin.

Gwen hurriedly made her way to the parking lot, fully aware that both she and Kevin had an audience. It hit her that the last time she had an audience in this same parking lot was when Eric proposed. Shaking aside the weird feeling of déjà-vu, Gwen reached Kevin, who was leaning casually against the Ducati.

"What happened to your car?" she blurted out, once she was within earshot.

"Well, first of all, you have the keys. Second, the battery's long dead, 'coz it seems like the car hasn't seen the light of day for a while. That, and the fact that it needs new brake fluid, an oil change, basically a general tune-up, means that the car's grounded for now."

"Oh." Gwen said, "The keys are in my apartment." She eyed his ride. "Where did you get the bike?"

"Borrowed it from Riley, remember, the guy who owns that bar downtown?"

"Yes." Gwen said. She'd met Riley the same night she and Kevin had kissed for the first time. She blushed slightly at the memory. "How did you know where to find me?"

"Ben told me to look you up when I get here. He told me you'd be teaching."

"Oh. Have you been here long?"

"Just a couple of days. Went to check out my old house. Good thing mom didn't sell it yet."

"How's your mother?" Gwen asked nervously.

"Fine. A little depressed when she found out about dad. Anyway, the reason I'm here is 'coz I need a place to stay while I'm on mandatory leave from the Plumbers." Kevin looked embarrassed. "I would've gone to a motel, but I'm kinda short on money at the moment. Riley doesn't have the room, so that leaves you as the only person I know in Bellwood. Can I crash on your couch for a few days?"

"What's wrong with your house?"

"Mold. It's being sprayed down as we speak."

Gwen shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Was letting Kevin stay in her apartment a bad idea? On one hand, Kevin was practically homeless; turning him away wasn't an option. But on the other, she hadn't told Eric about Kevin yet. He wasn't due back for another week, and somehow she never found the right moment to tell him about Kevin during their few brief webcam meetings. Compounding the situation was the fact that Julie was in Japan for a conference, which meant Gwen would be alone in the apartment with Kevin, who right now was looking dangerous… in a good way.

"Sure, you can stay with me for a few days."Gwen finally said, with only the slightest hesitation.

"I promise I'll clean up after myself." Kevin said. "Besides, I won't be home much, so I won't get in your way."

"Why?"

"I have a few things I need to work out with my dad. I'll be shuttling from here to the space station."

"I thought you were on mandatory leave."

"Yeah, which means I can't stay there."

"Ok, well, you'll have to wait until my class is done." Gwen said matter-of-factly.

"No problem. I'll stay right here." Kevin replied, hooking his helmet on a handlebar.

Gwen nodded, then proceeded back to her classroom, wondering what would happen in the next few days.

^*^*^*^*^

A/N: Ugh, I know, it's not a very good ending to a chapter, but I really wanted to post this now so I can get to writing the next chapter, which will deal more with Kevin's interactions with his dad, so people waiting for more Gwevin-ness will have to wait. :P Sorry too if some readers don't like the fact that Kevin and Gwen seem a little OOC. I wanted their characters to evolve out of their teen years to adulthood, and this is just my idea of what they'd turn out to be. Incidentally, in case anyone has trouble picturing Kevin's new hair (which I personally think would look totally hot on him), just think Daniel Henney a.k.a Agent Zero's (was that his name?) hair in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. As always, please read and let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10 Alien Force and any of the characters.

A/N: Whew! This chapter took longer than I expected, as I had to contend with a bad bout of writer's block and the general drying up of the creative juices. But here's Chapter Five, finally! I hope you guys didn't wait too long… Enjoy!

Chapter 5

^*^*^*^*^

_Gwen's Apartment, 2:45 am_

^*^*^*^*^

Kevin sat alone on the couch in the dark apartment, the only light coming from the glow of streetlamps outside. He had been sitting in the same position for over an hour now, ever since he'd come in after visiting his father at the space station.

A dog barked in the distance, and a gust of wind ruffled the leaves of the tree planted next door. Otherwise, everything was quiet. Gwen was already asleep in her room when he got back, just like he knew she would be. This was his routine. Leave early, get back late. That meant he only got about three to four hours of sleep every night, but he preferred it this way. He wanted to see Gwen as little as possible, because seeing her still hurt.

Kevin had been staying at Gwen's place for three days now, and was going to check on his house in the morning. Stupid mold. He'd only asked to stay with Gwen out of necessity, as the alternative was finding an empty park bench somewhere. He would have slept in his car, but it, along with his entire garage, was on quarantine with his house.

As the silence of the night pressed in on him, Kevin pondered on his latest meeting with his father. On his first visit two nights ago, they had avoided talking about _them_ and instead discussed Ethan Levin's upcoming trial, his case, and what the possible verdict might be. But this time was different…

^*^*^*^*^

_Plumber Base, a few hours ago._

^*^*^*^*^

Kevin walked briskly down a brightly lit hallway, a uniformed guard matching his pace beside him. Kevin would have preferred to come this way alone, but he was in the base's holding facility, and an escort was part of protocol. Most of the cells were empty, but some held a variety of aliens awaiting trial. They sneered at Kevin as he passed, one alien even snapping his teeth at him through the thick wall of energy that separated them.

Finally, they came to the very last cell, and the guard pressed a code that allowed a narrow fissure to open through the energy field. Kevin stepped through into the cell, and the wall became whole again, trapping him inside.

"You have an hour." The guard said, nodding at Kevin. He left.

Kevin turned towards the prisoner, who got up slowly from the tiny cot bed in the cell. Straightening himself up, he motioned for Kevin to sit down.

"Hi dad." Kevin mumbled, taking a seat at the foot of the cot.

"Son." The man replied, sitting down himself on the only chair in the cell.

"How're they treating you?"

"They leave me alone mostly. Solitary confinement and all that."

Ethan Levin managed a wry smile, then gave his son a once-over with his piercing, dark-brown eyes. The same eyes Kevin had inherited, along with his slightly hooked nose and prominent chin.

"I still can't get over how big you are now." Ethan said, shaking his head. "You were only what, two – three feet tall when I left."

"Things change." Kevin muttered. He looked up at his father. "Mom's asking if she can see you."

Ethan looked pained. "Not yet, not like this."

Kevin nodded. "Did they set the date of your trial yet?"

"Three days from now. They say you're going to be a witness?"

"Yeah. How's it going with your lawyer?"

"He's great. Where'd you get him?"

"Called in a favor." Kevin shrugged. "Guy owed me one for bailing him out of a tech deal gone wrong. That was before he became an interplanetary lawyer, of course."

Ethan shifted in his seat, something else besides his case on his mind. "Is she happy?" he finally asked, staring at the ground.

Kevin stared at his father, knowing who he meant. "Roger's okay; he treats her well. They live in Brooklyn now. I visit them sometimes."

"That… that's good." Ethan sighed.

"Mom was pretty broken up when they said you died. I remember how she used to stay up crying when she thought I was already asleep." Kevin suddenly blurted out, a strange sense of satisfaction welling up inside him when he saw the stricken expression on his father's face at these words. It was as though he wanted Ethan Levin to feel the same pain he had caused them when he left. But just as quickly, he felt ashamed and wished he hadn't spoken.

"I'm sorry, son. I… know how disappointed you must be with me." Ethan's face was anguished. "I shouldn't have been such a coward. I shouldn't have betrayed the Plumbers and joined _them_."

"Yeah, you shouldn't have." Kevin muttered. "You know, mom always told me stories about how you risked your life everyday to make sure our planet was safe. How you would always do the right thing – especially when I acted up as a kid." Kevin shook his head at the memory.

Ethan' eyes clouded over in sadness. "I'm sorry, son." He repeated. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you were growing up. I'm sorry I wasn't there for your mother… I suppose it's good that she found someone like Roger to be with. Was he a good father to you?"

Kevin grimaced. "I wouldn't know, I never gave him the chance. I ran away a few months after they got married."

"Is that when you got into all sorts of trouble and got sent into the Null Void?" Ethan asked.

Kevin looked at his father in surprise. "Who told you?" He had hoped that he could keep his delinquent-slash-criminal years from his father's knowledge for as long as possible.

"Ben Tennyson. He comes and visits me sometimes. He's a nice kid."

"Good 'ol Ben." Kevin muttered, mentally making a note to interrogate Ben about what the latter had told his father.

"He also told me you were involved with his cousin. Is she the same girl in that holo-viewer of yours?"

"How did you…?"

"I peeked while you were sleeping, the night before we stormed the Antarrian base. I noticed you always carried it around, bringing it out when you thought no one was looking." Ethan's face was unapologetic.

Kevin was pissed. "You had no right to look through my stuff!"

Ethan ignored his son's outburst. "Ben said she's engaged to someone else now. How're you holding up?"

Kevin's mood soured even more at the mention of Gwen's engagement. "It doesn't matter what I think. She's in love with another guy now; I'm just an ex-boyfriend." He said gruffly. "The whole thing's not important."

"It is important, son. Me, I've already messed up and lost my chance with your mother. But you… you can still win her back. You love her, I can tell."

"Like I said, it doesn't matter what I think… or how I feel. She already chose the other guy." Kevin said, his voice edged with bitterness.

"She can still change her mind."

"Just drop it, okay? I don't want to talk about it." Kevin stated with finality.

Ethan looked carefully at his son. "Just don't end up like me, living every day with regret about the choices I made."

Kevin had no answer to that.

^*^*^*^*^

_Gwen's Apartment, 10:00 am_

^*^*^*^*^

Kevin awoke with a start. He glanced at the clock hanging above the television and swore. He hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep sitting up on the couch. He'd almost slept the entire morning away!

Rubbing at a crick on his neck, Kevin looked down and saw a powder blue Post-it stuck on the coffee table in front of him.

_Left you some breakfast in the oven._

_-Gwen_

Kevin's face reddened at the thought of Gwen seeing him while he was asleep. He must have looked like an idiot passed out like he was on the couch. Cursing his own stupidity, he trudged towards the tiny kitchen and opened the oven door. Inside was a plate of waffles smothered with blueberry syrup – his favorite.

Kevin's felt an aching in his chest. She still remembered. He thought back to the times Gwen would make him breakfast and then drop it off at his place, especially during the summer. He particularly loved her waffles, and was addicted to blueberries, which was why his favorite breakfast consisted of the two combined. She always made them for him on his birthday, and on special occasions.

Pulling the plate out of the oven, Kevin grabbed a glass from the counter and filled it with water from a pitcher near the sink. He took a drink then sat down and started eating the breakfast Gwen made him. Even though they were already cold, the waffles still tasted delicious. Kevin closed his eyes and savored his food. He hadn't tasted waffles or blueberries in five years.

Kevin opened his eyes and sighed, then began eating quickly. He didn't have time to enjoy breakfast. He had to get to his house and see how it was doing. Standing up, he picked up his empty plate and glass, washed them and left them to dry on the dish drainer.

Grabbing his helmet and the keys to Riley's motorcycle, he made for the door. But then he stopped. He turned his head and surveyed the small apartment. Gwen had been nothing but kind to him ever since he got back, and how did he repay her? By avoiding her and not talking to her.

Kevin set the helmet down and ran a hand through his now short hair, a habit he had unconsciously acquired after getting it cut, and sighed. He wanted to do something for Gwen, something that was a little above platonic, but not crossing the line into romantic. Something only he could do, that would show her how much he appreciated her helping him. Something that would make her never forget him, even after she was married to wuss-boy and had five babies with him.

The idea came to him in a flash of insight. Now all he needed was Gwen's cooperation. Picking up his helmet again, Kevin opened the door and left without a backward glance.

^*^*^*^*^

_Gwen's Apartment, 5:46 pm_

^*^*^*^*^

Gwen rummaged in her shoulder bag for her keys with difficulty, her left arm cradling a bagful of groceries and her right balancing the day's lesson plan and two textbooks. Stopping in her efforts for a moment to adjust the strap of her bag, Gwen finally managed to insert the key into the doorknob when the door swung open, making Gwen jump in surprise.

Everything in her hands would have ended up on the floor if Kevin hadn't acted quickly, catching everything with ease, his reflexes borne from years of training and struggling to survive in space.

"K… Kevin! I didn't expect you to be here!" Gwen exclaimed, her shock at his presence evident.

"You should be more careful." Kevin smirked, shaking the bag of groceries at Gwen.

Gwen rolled her eyes at him and walked into her apartment, dropping her bag on the couch as Kevin chuckled and set the groceries and her books on the dining table.

"How's your house?" Gwen asked conversationally, as she smoothed down a few errant strands of hair and kicked her shoes off, sinking slowly into the couch with her eyes closed after her long day.

"It's ok. I can move back in now, though I'll have to clean up a bit. You won't believe the mess inside."

Gwen grinned, her eyes still closed. "I can imagine. It was already a mess back when you lived there regularly."

Kevin smiled despite himself. "You always cleaned up after me. You never could stand how it looked."

"Still can't. I can help you clean if you want."

"Thanks, but I can manage." Kevin cleared his throat. "Gwen, the reason I'm here is because I have a proposition for you."

Panic bells sounded in Gwen's head and her eyes shot open, her heart hammering in her chest. "P… proposition? What do you mean?!" Gwen stuttered.

"Calm down," Kevin said, raising an eyebrow at Gwen's reaction. "I want to repay you for letting me crash here."

"Oh…" Gwen breathed out, her heart rate returning to normal. "It's really no problem. You don't have to pay me back or anything."

"I wasn't thinking along the lines of money," Kevin replied. "I want to help you get your powers back."

Gwen looked at him carefully. "I told you, it just disappeared."

"Sometimes physical stress or emotional distress can repress your natural abilities." Kevin's voice became soft. "I'm sorry if I caused that when I didn't come back."

Gwen stood up, crossed the room until she was right in front of Kevin, and gently placed a hand on his cheek, turning his face to her own. "It's alright. It wasn't your fault."

Kevin shivered slightly at her touch, but then moved back so that Gwen's hand fell back to her side. "Well, I want to fix what I caused. You're getting your powers back, Gwen." He said determinedly.

"How are you going to do that?"

"I picked up some things in Plumber training, when they were teaching me how to better control my powers. All you need is concentration, dedication and practice. I'll help you every step of the way." Kevin strode over to the windows and pulled the curtains shut. "Starting now."

"What are you doing?" Gwen asked, confused.

"We don't want your neighbors to see bright bursts of manna coming out of your apartment, do we?"

Gwen snorted. "I haven't produced a single spark of manna in years. I doubt I'll be able to light up the entire apartment."

"Can't hurt to be prepared." Kevin retorted, moving to the next set of windows.

"Hold it." Gwen said, holding up her hand. "We'll try after dinner. Are you hungry?"

Kevin stopped tugging at the curtains. "Uh… yeah, sure."

"Good." Gwen went over to her bag of groceries and started unpacking what she bought. "I thought I'd make some lasagna tonight, and some cream of mushroom soup."

"Need help?" Kevin asked, striding over to stand beside her.

"Sure, you can start by grating the cheese."

^*^*^*^*^

Kevin looked up from his pile of grated cheese at Gwen as she stirred a pot on the stove. It was just like old times, when Gwen would invite him over for dinner at her house, and he would help, mostly by taking small bites or sips of whatever she was making and commenting on it. The only difference now was the ring on Gwen's finger, which to Kevin seemed like an overly-bright beacon that never failed to draw his eyes. It was a bitter reminder of what Kevin could never have, as well as all the what-could-have-beens.

An hour later, the two of them were at the table, having dinner just like any other couple, only they weren't. Not anymore. Making conversation, Kevin was pleasantly surprised to find that talking normally to Gwen wasn't all that difficult after all, even with the looming knowledge of her upcoming nuptials. It was even slightly bearable to listen to Gwen's plans for her wedding, a topic which she tentatively brought up when they were almost done.

After talking about the horrors of finding a color palette for the theme that worked and bemoaning the difficulty of booking a good wedding band, Gwen broke off, as though she were steeling herself for something.

"Would you… like to come? To the wedding, that is." Gwen finally asked, hesitating, gauging Kevin's reaction.

"I will if you want me to."

"You're one of my oldest friends. Of course I want you to be there… but only if you're… comfortable…" Gwen trailed off.

"Don't worry about me." Kevin said gruffly. Suddenly, listening to Gwen's wedding plans wasn't so bearable anymore. "Come on, time to see how much power you've still got."

Gwen sighed in resignation. "Alright. But I'm not promising any results." She got up and deposited their plates in the sink.

"Well I am. I know you have it in you to harness your powers again."

"We'll see."

^*^*^*^*^

So they began. Kevin would be in her apartment waiting for her when Gwen got back home from work, and she would make them dinner before their "sessions". Kevin always started Gwen off with some breathing exercises, then proceeded to demonstrate how proper breathing could enable better control.

"See?" Kevin said on their third night, as he drained the electricity off a lamp, and held the energy in his fist for a few seconds before he let it dissipate. "I never could do that before, but I learned to control the amount of energy I absorbed."

Gwen nodded. She understood the theory of harnessing her power through calming her body, which would allow her better focus. It was doing it that was the problem. The two nights before, she had managed to produce absolutely nothing, even when she really tried. She thought back to when she used to meditate on her bed, letting the manna in her body flow through her. It seemed so easy back then.

Kevin instructed her to close her eyes and "feel" the manna inside her. Gwen did as she was told, but found that her brain would not concentrate on the task at hand. Her thoughts raced around Kevin, her students, Kevin, Eric's return, the wedding, Kevin…

"You're not emptying your mind or concentrating." Kevin commented.

Gwen's eyes opened and she eyed Kevin guiltily. It was just that she was feeling so many conflicting emotions at the moment, most of them involving Kevin. She felt bad about deciding to go through with marrying Eric, because she knew it hurt Kevin. But what could she do? She had already said yes to Eric, and felt obligated to honor her promise to become his wife. Besides, Kevin had been quick to give her up when they met again at the space station, even though she sensed that he still had feelings for her. And of course, she loved Eric. Her parents loved Eric too, and never failed to tell her how happy they were about their relationship. They were the perfect match, everyone said so.

But it didn't change the fact that Kevin's presence here, in the flesh, was something she couldn't ignore. She felt different with him. Whenever she saw Kevin, she would feel a rush of emotion that had nothing to do with how she was feeling a second before.

As she was contemplating all this, Gwen looked directly at Kevin, who stared back at her, and their eyes met and held each other's gaze, unwavering. Gwen suddenly felt a swooping sensation in her stomach, as though she were slowly getting sucked into his deep, brown eyes, which refused to let her go. Unbidden, images of memories with him flashed in her mind's eye. Kevin, trying his best to protect her whenever they battled aliens, even when he was hurt; Kevin, joking with her in his car; Kevin, leaning in close as he kissed her; Kevin, dancing with her at prom…

"Gwen…" Kevin said suddenly, gesturing at her necklace.

Tearing her eyes away from his, Gwen looked down at the necklace Kevin had given her years ago. It was glowing. She looked up at him, her eyes shining. "I… I can feel you."

A single tear rolled down Gwen's cheek. It was like waking up after a long sleep. She suddenly felt a bond with the universe that she couldn't explain, as though strands of energy linked her mind and body to everything. She realized they had been going about it the wrong way. Emptying her mind wasn't the solution. Manna was the power that connected all living creatures, and she had been disconnecting herself from the world ever since Kevin's disappearance, hiding herself away from the pain. She thought Eric had coaxed her out of her shell, but in truth, she had never really opened herself up completely. Not until tonight, when she looked into Kevin's eyes and drowned in them. All it took was that one moment of connectedness, of feeling so closely linked to another as to lose sense of self for a brief, glorious second.

Gwen moved closer to Kevin, tears of joy running down her cheeks. "I can feel you," she repeated, "And everything." The crystal glowed brighter the closer she got.

It was like she was in a trance, even though she was fully aware of what she was doing. Gwen hadn't felt like this in years. She could sense the manna in her body, as well as the manna of the people in the building and in the streets. More importantly, she could sense Kevin's manna, emanating in part from her necklace, and in strong waves from the man himself.

"Kevin…" Gwen breathed out, as she reached him. His manna, so familiar but missed for so long, was like a magnet, pulling her to him like a moth to a flame. Wanting to lose herself in it, Gwen did the only thing she could.

She pressed her lips against his.

^*^*^*^*^

A/N: While this chapter didn't quite turn out the way I originally planned, I still like how it finally came out. Unfortunately, you'll have to bear with me as I have no idea when the next chapter will be done. I promise though, that I won't leave the story unfinished. For now, R&R!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10 Alien Force and any of the characters.

A/N: Hello, everyone! I'm back! Sorry it took me so ridiculously long to write this chapter. I just didn't have the time, what with quitting my old job and getting a new job and all. Anyway, this chapter deals mostly with what happened to Kevin in the five years he was away, so bear with me if you're not a fan of exposition. The chapter however, starts out where we left off last. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

_Gwen's Apartment, 8:20 pm_

Reason went out the window as soon as Gwen's lips touched Kevin's. Automatically, Kevin's arms snaked around Gwen's waist as he pulled her closer to him. Gwen's hands went around his neck, then moved up and got tangled in his hair. She pulled him backwards and they both collapsed on the couch, Kevin pinning her down on the cushions.

Kevin groaned when Gwen slid a hand under his shirt and ran her palm over his chest, then went lower. His entire body was on fire, and he pressed himself against her insistently, letting her know how much he wanted this… had been wanting this for the longest time.

Gwen gasped as Kevin's mouth found the sensitive spot on her neck and began sucking. She arched her back against him and felt him shudder. She wasn't thinking anymore, merely letting instinct, need, and want guide her actions. She tugged at Kevin's shirt, pulling it up over his head and throwing it to the floor. She needed to feel him, to touch him. Her fingers traced over the contours of his chest, his hard stomach, the small ridges of scars he'd acquired in numerous battles…

Slowly, deliberately, Kevin began undoing the buttons of Gwen's blouse, his lips returning to hers. Gwen moaned against his mouth as his tongue slid against her own and his hand began exploring her bare skin.

Suddenly, a shrill ringing pierced the air, and the two of them jolted apart. Breathing heavily, Gwen and Kevin stared at the phone until the machine picked up.

"Gwen!" The voice that came from the machine was breathless and excited. "I'm back early! God, I missed you. I'm at the airport right now, but as soon as I pick up my car I'll be right over. See you soon, hon. Love you." The machine beeped once, and was silent.

For a moment, the two of them froze, still clasping each other. Finally, Kevin extricated himself from their embrace and got to his feet, picking his shirt up from the floor. He put it back on and crossed the room to the kitchen, desperately needing to get his pulse rate back to normal, and his head back on straight. _She's engaged. It was wrong… I was wrong. I should have stopped it._

"Don't worry. This never happened." Kevin muttered, trying to reassure Gwen, who after buttoning her shirt up, was now compulsively straightening the cushions on the couch, her movements distraught.

"But it did, Kevin, it did!" Gwen cried out, tears starting to form in her eyes. She looked guiltily at Kevin. "I cheated on my fiancé!"

Kevin made to go to her side, but stopped himself. "He doesn't have to know about me. I'll disappear." He gave Gwen a piercing look. "He never has to know."

"God, I'm so stupid!" Gwen sank back down on the couch, her face in her hands. She was so confused. "What do I do?" She finally gasped out, looking pleadingly at Kevin.

Kevin ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He couldn't take it anymore, he was starting to crack. "What do you want me to say, Gwen?! That you should forget about me and live happily ever after with your fiancé?" He clenched his fists, glaring at her. "Is that what you want me to say, so it'll be easier for you to decide?!"

"I…" Gwen stuttered, her eyes widening.

Kevin ignored her and went on. "I've been trying, really hard, to convince myself that you don't love me anymore… that you've moved on. But then you come at me and kiss me like that… do you think you're the only one who's confused?!" He slammed his fist against the kitchen counter. "Dammit, Gwen! Do you still love me?!"

"Kevin…" Gwen started, but he didn't let her finish.

"Because _I'm_ still in love with you! It was the thought of never seeing you again that made me fight so damn hard to stay alive in space for all those years! I'm so crazy in love with you that if you're happy with whatsisname then I'll let you go, no questions asked!"

Gwen gaped at him. But before she could respond, an insistent beeping came from Kevin's pocket.

Momentarily forgetting about his tirade, Kevin pulled out the new badge the Plumbers had supplied him with and swore under his breath. "Dammit, I almost forgot."

"What is it?" Gwen asked, looking fearfully at the badge.

"I have to go. My ride's here."

"Where…?"

"To my dad's trial."

Gwen was surprised… and hurt. "How come you didn't tell me?" She asked quietly, eyes downcast.

"I didn't want to bother you," Kevin moved towards the door, paused, then added, "And forget everything I said earlier."

"Wait!" Gwen called out. "I'm coming with you."

"No. You're not." Kevin said curtly. "Your fiancé's coming. You have to be here to meet him."

"But…" Gwen started.

"Goodbye, Gwen." Kevin muttered, then left without another word, leaving Gwen alone in stunned silence.

_Plumber Base, Quadrant 2-A, Asteroid B-24, Some hours later_

"The council calls Kevin Ethan Levin as witness."

Standing up from the uncomfortable chair he had been sitting on, Kevin made his way purposefully towards the middle of the circular trial room. He climbed some steps until he reached the slightly raised platform and faced the Head Councilman, an ancient-looking alien with paper-like tan skin and beady eyes.

"You may begin." The Head Councilman wheezed out in a reedy voice.

Kevin cleared his throat. "My name is Kevin Ethan Levin, son of Ethan Levin. I was present during, and was part of, the sneak attack against the main Antarrian base in Sector 68, which resulted in its destruction. I'm here to appeal to the Council to lift all charges against Ethan Levin." He glanced briefly to one side, to where his father stood, hands bound by energy cuffs.

The Head Councilman nodded. "The Council may begin questioning."

"Kevin Levin," A female councilmember began, "To begin with, I would like you to recount the ordeal the Antarrians put you through."

Closing his eyes briefly, Kevin took a deep breath, the memories coming back effortlessly.

"Five years ago, I was captured by the Antarrians…"

_Five years ago, Inside an Antarrian Obliterator_

Kevin opened his eyes, then quickly shut them again as he winced, pain shooting up his entire body.

"Ungh…" he grunted, trying to move. It was then he realized that he couldn't; his arms and legs were cuffed to the table he was lying on, with his hands enclosed in balls of energy, no doubt to stop him from absorbing anything.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Kevin opened his eyes. He was in a smallish, dark room, and based on the vibrations, he was also in a ship that was moving. Craning his neck to the side, he made out the shape of some unpleasant-looking devices hanging from the wall. Kevin's eyes widened and he struggled against his bonds, but it was no use. He couldn't escape.

A door to his right slid open, and a huge alien who sported bronze-colored spikes on his head and back entered the room, along with another that had a pale, smooth face and jet-black eyes that glinted maliciously in the semi-darkness.

"I see you're awake." The smooth-faced alien said in a deep voice, his leer revealing rows of tiny, razor-sharp teeth. He placed a hand on his chest, his expression far from pleasant. "I am Mazrus, leader of the Antarrians. Welcome to my ship, Kevin Levin."

"What do you want with me?" Kevin demanded, trying to lift his head and glare at the alien despite his bonds. "Where're my teammates?"

"Dead." Mazrus said dismissively. "You, on the other hand, are much more valuable alive."

"_What do you want with me?_"

Mazrus sighed. "I see you are not to be dissuaded from questioning me. Very well…" He suddenly grinned, showing his teeth again, and Kevin couldn't help but recoil slightly at the sight. "We suffered substantial losses after our attack on the Nevulon Galaxy, which you no doubt heard about. The 'proceeds' were slightly lower than our initial estimates. A grave mistake on my part, I'll admit. Ah well, business has its ups and downs, I'm sure you know that." He sneered at Kevin. "As to your question… you, my friend, possess an ability that will greatly help us regain some much needed funds. I've been hearing things about you… about your powers. Kevin Levin, the rookie Plumber who already has a reputation."

"What if I refuse?"

"My dear boy, I don't think you fully understand your situation. You don't comply, I have Jorg here," Mazrus gestured at the hulking, spiky alien beside him, "'persuade' you. I believe you'll find that he is particularly skilled in the use of the instruments you see in this room." Jorg cracked his knuckles menacingly.

"I can take whatever Jorg throws at me." Kevin retorted, his voice steady despite the frantic beating of his heart.

"Hmm… we'll see about that. Although we have other means of persuasion." Mazrus pretended to think. "I believe Earth is quite nice this time of year. A pity if it should suddenly explode. Or…" he grinned. "perhaps I should just have Jorg torture your father in front of you. You decide."

Kevin swore his heart stopped beating for a moment. "WHERE IS HE?!" he demanded.

"Tsk tsk." Mazrus said lazily. "You have too many questions. I suggest you rest while you can. We land in approximately six of your Earth hours."

"Where're you taking me?"

Mazrus sneered. "We're taking a little trip to an old planet that holds the last traces of Diryllium ore in the galaxy. You'll need to start paying me back for that Obliterator you destroyed. In the meantime," he said, "I'll have Jorg here keep you company."

Mazrus turned to leave, but in afterthought added, "Oh, and Jorg, don't rough him up too much. He needs to be fit enough to absorb the Diryllium." Jorg lumbered past him and stood beside Kevin's head.

The door closed just as Kevin started screaming.

The councilwoman raised her hand. Kevin stopped talking. "Based on statements you made before this, your father was not a prisoner, but was in fact, a member of the Antarrians at this time, correct?"

"Yes."

"I wonder, then," the council woman continued, "where Ethan Levin's loyalties lie. Why did he never attempt to contact the Plumbers in the 15 years he was missing? Surely he could have found a way to do so."

Ethan's lawyer stood up. "I ask permission for Ethan Levin to reply."

"Granted." The Head Councilman wheezed.

A guard led Ethan to the middle of the room beside Kevin, who gave his father an encouraging nod.

"When I was captured 15 years ago, the Antarrians took everything I had on me." Ethan said. "They used me, just as they used my son, to fill their vaults with treasure." His face darkened. "When I resisted, I was tortured.

"As the years went by, I began to lose hope. I knew the Plumbers believed I was dead, so I had no chance of being rescued. The Antarrians kept me under strict guard at all times. I had no access to any technology whatsoever, which is why I couldn't contact the Plumbers for help. Even after I accepted their offer of turning Antarrian, just to stop the torture, I was never left alone. I don't think they ever trusted me."

The councilwoman gave Ethan a piercing look. "How did you find out that your son had also been captured?"

"Gossip travels fast in Antarrian circles, but since I wasn't in the same galaxy, it took some time for the news to reach me. One day, I overheard some members talking about a captured Plumber… someone who had powers like mine."

"What did you do then?"

"I didn't know it was Kevin, but knowing it was a Plumber, I knew I had to find a way to get to him. It wasn't easy. Everyone there knew I was a former Plumber. I had to manipulate my way to where Kevin was, had to make it so that it was their idea to send me to Sector 68 and not mine. It took me two years of making myself become valuable enough to be reassigned there."

"Yes…" the councilwoman muttered, glancing at some files. "Based on the information we've gleaned from you and some other Antarrian captives, in those two years you were part of the contingent sent to attack and burn up the planet Nimbus. Not to mention the plot to assassinate High Priest Vega from the Andromeda galaxy."

Ethan looked down. "I'm not proud of what I did in those days. But it was the only way to get to the captured Plumber… to my son."

"I see, and how were you able to manage that?"

"I was able to sneak away from the Antarrians who were assigned to keep an eye on me at all times. By then they were already starting to trust me, so it wasn't that difficult."

The councilwoman nodded at a guard, who led Ethan back to his seat.

"Kevin Levin," she called, "You may continue with your account. Tell us what happened when you reunited with your father."

_Three Years Ago, Sector 68, Antarrian Main Base_

Kevin sat on a hard cot that was his only furniture in the cell that had been his home for the last two years. Set deep below the Antarrian base, Kevin's cell was dark, dank, and bleak. Silently, he tore off a portion of his ragged shirt and used the cloth to staunch the bleeding in his arm.

Mazrus had extended another offer for him to turn Antarrian. As usual, Kevin had refused. And as usual, he had gotten beaten up for his answer.

"You'll come around." Mazrus had sneered, as Jorg threw Kevin across the room. "Your father did."

His bleeding stopped, Kevin leaned back and rested his head on the wall. It was one of the few moments of respite he was granted, when Mazrus needed him to gain back his strength so that he could absorb whatever it is they wanted.

His thoughts strayed, as they often did, to Gwen. He wondered how she looked like now, if she still wore her hair long. What would she be doing now? Kevin closed his eyes, and remembered Gwen's smiling face as she came towards him whenever he picked her up from school. How her hands would shake whenever she cleaned Kevin up after a battle. If he could only see her now…

Too lost in his thoughts, Kevin didn't register the slight commotion a few feet from his cell. Seconds later, the energy field blocking his cell disappeared. Kevin didn't move. They've come for him again. He knew the drill. Not wanting to make things any easier for his captors, Kevin didn't budge an inch.

"Stand up." A voice said, but softly.

Kevin whipped his head around to look at the new arrival, straining to see the stranger's face in the semi-darkness. His heart began beating faster, because the voice was _human_. He hadn't met anyone from his planet in all the time he'd been held captive.

"Who are you?" Kevin asked suspiciously, as he slowly stood up. It could be a trick, another mind game the Antarrians were so fond of playing on him.

A small light flared in front of him as the stranger lit a glow stick. Eyes finally adjusting to the sudden light, Kevin peered at the face he had longed to see again since he was a small child.

"_Dad_?" Kevin said hoarsely.

Ethan Levin lowered the glow stick, eyes growing moist. "Kevin…" he whispered, reaching a hand out.

Kevin recoiled. Stepping back, he kept his distance. "You're one of them now. I know." His face darkened as he regarded his father, not attempting to hide the contempt he felt when he'd found out his father had betrayed the Plumbers.

Ethan dropped his hand, guilt flashing across his features. But he recovered quickly. Shaking his head, he grabbed Kevin's arm. "We have to go."

"Ow!" Kevin yelled, the wounds from his earlier beating opening up again.

Dropping Kevin's arm, Ethan hastily reached a hand into the bag he carried and quickly extracted a medi-patch. Slapping it on Kevin's cut, the patch immediately took on the contour of Kevin's arm and closed the wound.

"We have to go now." Ethan repeated urgently, glancing left and right at the corridor. "They'll notice I've been gone."

"Hold on!" Kevin said, glaring at Ethan. "How do I know this isn't one of your Antarrian tricks?"

"Kevin," Ethan said gravely, "We can talk after I get you out of here. We don't have much time." He made to grab Kevin again. "Let's go."

Kevin shook off his father's hand on his arm. "I'm not going anywhere! How do I know I can trust you?"

Ethan drew his laser gun and pointed it at Kevin. Kevin stepped back, and his body immediately tensed in preparation to fight.

"Right now, you'll have to trust me or stay here and rot." Ethan said determinedly, giving Kevin a stern look. "Now I'm getting you out, whether you like or not. And I don't want to have to drag you out of here, so don't make me stun you."

Glaring at Ethan venomously, Kevin clenched his fists.

"Fine. But I want a gun too."

Without hesitating, Ethan whipped out another laser gun and threw it at Kevin, who caught it. "There," Ethan said, "You're armed as well. You can shoot me if you want, but it won't do you any good."

Kevin stared at the gun in his hand. The initials 'K.L.' were carved on the side. "This is my gun."

Ethan nodded, and threw a small bag at Kevin. "I found out where they kept your personal effects and got these back for you."

Kevin glanced at the bag. Inside was his broken badge, his penknife, and the cracked holo-viewer. He looked up at his father. "Thank you." He whispered, pocketing the holo-viewer and leaving the other things on his cot.

Suddenly feeling more determined by the second, Kevin went to stand beside his father. "So what's the plan?" He wasn't sure he trusted Ethan yet, but at this point, his father was his only hope of escape. His only hope of ever seeing Gwen again.

Ethan glanced around again. "We make for the east wing of the base, where they throw out the trash. It's the least guarded of their entrances. After that, we try to find a ship we can use, then head to the nearest non-hostile space outpost."

Kevin gave his father a serious look. "We get out of this place, but we're not going back home. Not yet."

"Why on earth not?!"

"We're in the perfect position to hit the Antarrians where they least expect it. I've been here two years. I know where they keep their central reactor, this place's power source. They've taken me there enough times to 'produce' the fuel it needs that I can practically go there blindfolded."

Ethan shook his head. "No, it's too dangerous. It's not worth risking our lives."

Kevin's eyes narrowed. This was not the father in her mother's stories, the one who would do the right thing, no matter how difficult or dangerous it was. He stood his ground and glared at his father.

"Then you should just go without me. I'm gonna find a way to get to that power core and overload it. Should blow the whole place up."

Ethan closed his eyes briefly, as though he were in a deep personal struggle. Finally, he sighed and looked at Kevin, sadness mixed with pride in his eyes. "No, you're right. Now's the perfect time to strike." He managed to give a small smile. "It could mean suicide, but I'll help you."

The councilwoman's face was furrowed. "And how did you manage to avoid getting captured again?"

Kevin grinned, the first time he'd done so the whole night. "We managed to get out via an Antarrian dumpster and steal a ship. We sent it off on auto-pilot. The Antarrians blew it to smithereens in seconds. They thought we were dead." It was a pretty ingenious plan, if he did say so himself.

"Impressive." The councilwoman commented. Kevin caught Ethan's eye, and they both managed identical grins at the memory.

"Then we knocked out some guards and took on their shape." Kevin continued. "Both of us have energy-absorbing powers, so it wasn't that difficult. Still, took us years more in disguise to figure out how to blow up the base. After that, we were able to contact the Plumbers with stolen Antarrian tech."

The councilwoman nodded. "Yes, this tallies with the accounts of some Antarrians we captured. According to them, you both absorbed the reactor's power and channeled it back, adding your own energy and whatever else you could absorb in the room."

Kevin nodded back, his face set. "My father stopped me before I gave up all my energy. He had more control over his power than I had with mine. I would have died if it wasn't for him." He turned and looked the councilwoman straight in the eye. "I don't know what your decision will be for my father tonight, but I want the council to know that if it weren't for Ethan Levin, that Antarrian base would still be standing, and I wouldn't even be here to talk about it."

The Council members were now whispering among themselves. Some, Kevin was relieved to see, were smiling at him, although he also saw a few who were shaking their heads. Finally, the Head Councilman stood up slowly. "This trial will adjourn for a recess, in which time the Council will deliberate on Ethan Levin's case."

Kevin caught his father's eye. They had done all they could. They could only hope for the best now.

_Gwen's Apartment, 9:30 pm_

The door opened and Eric stepped into the apartment, tucking the key Gwen had given him into his pocket and dragging his ragged suitcase in beside him. Shutting the door, he saw Gwen sitting on the sofa and smiled.

"Honey, I'm home!" he said loudly. He raised an eyebrow when Gwen didn't' respond, only stood up slowly. "Hey, don't get too excited about me coming home." Eric joked. His smile faltered though, when he saw the look on Gwen's face.

"Gwen, what's wrong?"

Gwen looked at Eric, her eyes glowing pink as she channeled her manna.

"I have to tell you something."

A/N: Whew! This chapter took a while to finish. I haven't started the next chapter yet, but expect this story to end very soon. 'Til then, read and review!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry this took so long… I just recently started watching Ben 10 Ultimate Alien (it only started showing now in my country) and realized that my entire story diverges greatly from the canon. It was bad enough when I saw the Ragnarok episode and realized Kevin's dad was already dead, but the whole world knowing about Ben and aliens wasn't something I anticipated. So anyway, I'm just going to finish up this story and maybe come up with something else after I watch enough Ultimate Alien. :P Enjoy!

Chapter 7

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_Plumber Base, Quadrant 2-A, Asteroid B-24_

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Kevin closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall of the same briefing room he'd waited in weeks ago, when he first made it back to his own galaxy. Feeling impatient, he started pacing across the length of the room in an attempt to calm his nerves.

Back in the trial room, he knew the Council was deliberating his father's case, deciding whether to condemn him or let him go.

The cold gray interior and the endless blackness of space outside the window, which he usually found relaxing, did nothing to soothe his nerves. The door to the briefing room opened and Kevin found himself face to face with an anxious-looking Ben.

"Hey." Kevin said in greeting.

"Hey." Ben returned, grabbing the nearest seat and swiveling it. He sat down, arms resting on the back of the chair. "How're you doing?"

"What do you think?" Kevin replied, irritated. "I'm peachy!"

Ben leaned back and raised his hands in front of him. "Hey, chill. I was just being polite."

"I can't stand all this waiting!"

"Well if it makes you feel better," Ben said, "I think you did a great job in the appeal."

"Thanks." Kevin mumbled. "I just don't know if it was enough."

"Don't worry so much, Kev." Ben said reassuringly. "The Head Councilman might look ancient, but he's still pretty sharp. And fair."

"Yeah… I guess."

Ben looked around the room, his brow furrowed. Kevin sighed. There was obviously something Ben wanted to ask him.

"You know, you really should work on your poker face. It can be a liability in a battle."

Ben grinned. "What, my face? It's too good-looking to be a liability!" He chuckled at his own joke. Kevin raised an eyebrow.

"Fine," Ben said finally, taking a deep breath. "How're things with Gwen? You've been helping her get her powers back, right?"

The memory of their earlier kiss flashed through Kevin's mind and he closed his eyes. "Lessons are over. She got her powers back."

"Really?" Ben said, his eyes lighting up. "That's great! If I can just convince her to join the Plumbers… it'll be just like old days, the three of us fighting aliens together! Yeah…" He got a wistful look on his face.

"Not gonna happen. She's getting married, remember?" Kevin said through gritted teeth.

"Oh yeah… I can't believe I forgot." Ben said. "Well, she can still fight aliens with us… maybe part time…" he trailed off.

"Just drop it, Ben. She's not gonna fight with us." Kevin sighed. "Those days are gone. We're not gonna get them back."

Ben stood up and placed a hand on Kevin's shoulder. "You're still in love with her, aren't you?"

Kevin looked at him. "Hey," Ben grinned, "I might be dense sometimes, but that much was pretty obvious."

"Doesn't matter. She already chose him."

Ben gave Kevin a sympathetic look. "This might not help, but you do know she's happy with Eric, right? I mean, in a perfect world, sure I'd pick you for a cousin-in-law, even though you're usually bad-tempered and cranky, but in this case…"

"Yeah, I got it!" Kevin interrupted him, effectively silencing Ben with a glare.

Ben grinned sheepishly. "I'm not making you feel better, am I?"

"You think?"

Ben sighed. "Sorry… I'm no good at this pep-talk stuff. Hey, maybe you should talk to Julie!"

Kevin gave him a look that clearly said 'no'.

"Oookay, then." Ben said.

"Look, Ben. I get that you're trying to make me feel better and all that shit, but really dude, stop." Kevin said, his voice exasperated. "Just stop."

Ben stood up and gave Kevin a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You'll find someone else. Eventually you'll get over her."

Kevin sighed deeply. "No… I won't."

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_Gwen's Apartment, 10:03 pm_

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"Come on, Eric. Say something!"

Gwen felt frustration rising inside her but she checked herself, trying her best to be more considerate about Eric's predicament. Understandably he had every right to be alarmed, not to mention terrified, but she had explained everything to him, including her family's Plumber ties and her alien ancestry. He even seemed calm after his initial shock (and after she gagged and pinned him to her couch with manna to stop him from running out of her apartment yelling). Well… calm might be pushing it a bit. Stunned was a bit more appropriate.

Gwen frowned and stared at her fiancé, who had mercifully abandoned his attempts at escape and was now merely sitting quietly on her couch, staring off into the distance with his mouth slightly agape.

"Anything?" Gwen sighed. "It's not that bad, okay?"

Eric blinked. "H… how…" he cleared his throat, "How is it not that bad?" he finally managed to get out. "You're an alien! Don't you think that's something you should have mentioned on the first date?"

"Technically, only part-alien. I'm… mostly human, though. More than 50 percent, if that makes you feel better." Gwen corrected, making her voice as bright as possible.

"Not really." Eric replied, slumping. "So what else haven't you told me? Wait, let me guess… you also have an evil twin sister who could show up at any moment and attack us."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "No. This is it… really." Well, not really. She neglected to mention anything about Kevin, or more specifically her letting him stay at her place and making out with him, but she had a feeling that that was something she wasn't ready to divulge just yet, if ever.

"So you've been living this double life, fighting aliens, and keeping it from me all this time?" Eric said, a hint of an accusation in his voice.

"No!" Gwen said, "I haven't been doing any of that stuff since before college. I… stopped. A long time ago…" Her voice trailed off.

Eric's eyes softened. "Well I'm glad. I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt risking your neck fighting aliens all the time."

Gwen gave him a small smile. "I can take care of myself, you know. I have a black belt… and powers."

"True." Eric said, standing up and moving until he was directly in front of Gwen. "But if it were up to me I'd leave it up to those Carpenters and keep you home safe."

Gwen laughed, though a bit half-heartedly. "It's Plumbers; they're not a singing group."

"Whatever." Eric grinned. He put his arms around her and nuzzled her hair. "I'm glad you told me, though. Sorry I freaked out earlier."

"It's okay." Gwen murmured, her face against his chest. "Are we… good?"

"Yeah," Eric said. He pulled away and looked her in the eye. "It'll take some getting used to. I think I still need to wrap my brain around it completely, but… I meant it, and will always mean it, when I say I love you. I don't care if you're half- or part-alien. To me you're still Gwen, the incredible woman I fell for… and will love and cherish the rest of my life once we walk down that aisle."

"So you still want to marry me, even after all this?" Gwen asked, eyes wide.

"Yup. No doubt about it." Eric smiled.

They hugged again, and Gwen breathed a sigh of relief. There, she had told him, and he still wanted to be with her. Things could have been worse too. Eric could have called off the engagement then and there and stormed out of the apartment. But he was still there, and he still loved her.

So why did she feel deflated all of the sudden?

Gwen's musings were interrupted when she realized that Eric had begun kissing her neck.

"Um… Eric?"

"Hmm?"

"Let's just go to bed and sleep, okay? I'm sure you're really tired and all…" Gwen shifted uncomfortably when Eric made no sign of relenting on his kisses.

She heard him chuckle against her hair. "I'm not _that_ tired." He murmured, moving his lips to her earlobe and nibbling on it lightly.

"Well… I kinda am." Gwen said softly, backing away and feeling guilty when she saw a confused, and slightly hurt look flash across Eric's face.

"Okay, but I am welcome to stay the night, right?"

"Yes, of course!" Gwen said brightly. "It's just… it's been a long day."

Eric shrugged. "Yeah, I guess." He moved away and grabbed his suitcase where he left it near the couch. "I'll just take a shower." He opened his bag and rummaged for a clean set of clothes.

"I'll turn down the bed." Gwen said, walking to her bedroom.

Closing the door behind her, she leaned against the wood and took a deep breath. What had gotten into her? Why did she feel so out of it suddenly? Instead of being glad to see Eric, she half wished he hadn't come home yet, even if just to give her more time to think and sort things out.

Going to her bed, Gwen began to fix the comforter and plump up the pillows, her movements automatic. Straightening the sheets, she told herself that the reason she revealed her powers and her past was so that Eric would know what he was getting into before they got married. Heck, he had a right to! But was that the real reason? Did part of her want Eric to dump her?

Changing into an old oversize t-shirt and boxer shorts, Gwen lay down in bed and pulled the comforter up to her chin, thoughts of Eric – and Kevin – weaving in and out of her mind as she waited for Eric to join her in bed.

101010101010101

_Plumber Base, Quadrant 2-A, Asteroid B-24_

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"This court will now resume the trial of Ethan Levin."

Kevin shifted uncomfortably in his seat. This was it. Beside him, Ben gave him a reassuring smile. Kevin's mind briefly flashed back to a few hours ago. To Gwen. Shaking his head to clear the memory, he stared stonily ahead. Gwen had already moved on with her life. It's time he did too. Lost in thought, he started as the Head Councilman slowly stood up to give the verdict.

Suddenly, one of the doors to the trial room opened and a frazzled-looking Max Tennyson hurriedly entered the room. Mumbling excuses at his interruption, he quickly made his way to the empty seat beside Kevin and sat down.

"Apologies for my interruption, Head Councilman. Please proceed." He said.

The Head Councilman nodded at Max. "Magister Tennyson, so pleased you could join us." He wheezed. Max raised his hand to acknowledge the Head Councilman's greeting.

"Grandpa Max!" Ben whispered. "What brings you here?"

"Ethan Levin was an old colleague of mine back in the day. Good man. I only just found out his trial was today." Max whispered back. "I hope the Council rules in his favor."

"Shh!" Kevin hissed.

"Sorry." Ben mumbled.

The Head Councilman had begun speaking again. "The Council has reviewed the facts of the case and deliberated thoroughly on the fate of Ethan Levin." He coughed. "That he has been in league with, and collaborated with the Antarrians for years, and was part of several highly publicized acts of violence and terrorism is in no doubt. However, the Council must also take into account his recent actions, the result of which was the destruction of a major Antarrian base, as well as the circumstances of his predicament."

Kevin glanced at the guarded seat where his father was and caught his eye. Ethan Levin gave his son a brief smile, his eyes reassuring. Kevin smiled back.

"That is why," The Head Councilman continued, "The Council has decided to shorten Ethan Levin's sentence from 20 of your Earth years in a maximum security prison, to 2 years in the Null Void."

Kevin's smile faltered and he jumped to his feet. "No!" He looked wildly around and spotted his father, whose face carried a look of disappointment and even resignation, as he turned to shake hands with his lawyer. "Max! Can't you do something? You're a Magister!"

Max's face was white. "No. I have no power to overturn the Council's ruling."

"But why would they convict him?" Ben sputtered. "He blew up an Antarrian base!"

Max shut his eyes, as though he were deep in thought. "Those crimes he took part in, the leaders of those planets wouldn't rest without a conviction. The Council did it to avert an intergalactic incident."

"So my father's a scapegoat?" Kevin roared. "NO!" he yelled, as he saw his father being prepared for his trip into the Null Void. He made to jump over the barrier between his seat and the main trial area, but Max grabbed his arm.

"No, Kevin." Max said firmly. "Don't make a scene. They might take it out on your father afterwards."

Kevin yanked his arm away. "I don't care! They're convicting an innocent man!"

"Kevin!" Max yelled, effectively stunning Kevin from moving. Max hardly ever yelled. "Whatever you may think, it was a fair trial. Your father got off relatively easy." Kevin sputtered and made another move to protest. Max shook his head. "Listen to me. You cannot change the Council's ruling, but there is a way to shorten it even more than they already have."

Kevin's eyes narrowed determinedly. "How? Name it, I'll do it."

Max gave Kevin a long, hard look. Then he turned to the Council before they could give the signal to send Ethan off. "Council!" he called. "Kevin Levin would like to request a Kin Sentence."

Ethan Levin looked back. "No!" he cried. The Head Councilman raised a hand to silence him.

"That is unusual." He mumbled, "This court has not had one of those in over 3 generations."

"What's a Kin Sentence?" Ben asked, anxiously looking from Max to Kevin. Kevin seemed to understand something.

"It's a very old law that states that a convict's sentence may be shared by someone from his immediate family, allowing the sentence to be shortened by up to a half, maximum, provided that that family member does so willingly. If Kevin takes up half of Ethan's sentence, then both of them will go free in a year." Max said quickly, "It's a very rare occurrence."

"Is the boy certain of his decision?" the Head Councilman inquired.

"Yes." Kevin said, without hesitation.

From across the room, Ethan Levin seemed to slump. "Kevin, please. Don't do this." He pleaded.

"No, dad." Kevin said, jumping across the partition to the main trial area where a guard met him. "I've already decided. Let me do this for you."

"Please, son…"

"Dad," Kevin said firmly. "Don't worry about me. I've already been in the Null Void, I know the tricks. I've got your back. We'll both get out of there after a year and you can start over in Bellwood." He gave his dad a look. "I'm not going to lose you again."

"Then it is decided." The Head Councilman said with finality. "Ethan Levin's sentence is now at 1 Earth year, after which a portal that will bring him back to his home planet will be raised. His son, Kevin Levin, will take part in the sentence. No aid will be given them in this one year period until the end."

The Head Councilman nodded at a guard, who pressed a button revealing a small portal. He flipped a switch and a swirling vortex appeared. The guard beside Kevin reached a hand out, and Kevin relinquished all the weapons he had on him, including his Plumber's badge.

"Just a sec." Kevin called out, before he and his father were led to the glowing portal. He walked back to the raised seats, a guard following three paces behind him. "Thank you, Max." he shook the Magister's hand.

"You take care, Kevin." Max replied, giving him a pat on the arm. "You too, Ethan." He called out. Ethan, looking grim, nodded.

"We'll be waiting for you when you get back." Ben said. "I'll… tell Gwen what happened. She'll want to know. Do you want to tell her anything?"

Kevin felt a sudden emptiness inside. "No. Just… tell her I hope she has a good wedding and a happy life with her husband." He reached into his pocket and drew out the old, beat up holo-viewer, the one symbol he'd kept of his old life with her. Rubbing the cracked casing one last time, he placed it on Ben's palm. "Give her this for me. I won't need it anymore."

Ben looked down at the object in his hand. "I will." He said, closing his fist on it.

"Bye." Kevin said. "See you in a year." And without another word, he followed his father into the vortex.

In a flash of light, they were gone.

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A/N: Wooooh! Story's about to end! Next chapter will be the last. 'Til then, let me know what you think!


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